Doctor Who and the Legacy of Azkaban
by Jaxin88
Summary: Harry Potter AU. The war is over and Rose Tyler can finally return to Hogwarts, but things aren't as simple as they seem. Who is the Doctor, and why are there Death Eaters still lurking around the school?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This started as a doodle and morphed into a story from there. It's not so much a crossover as an AU—Doctor Who characters in the Potter 'verse. As for the story? Welllll…. You'll find out. **

Chapter 1

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That morning, Rose saw her first owl in three years. A large black and grey thing, it waited outside the window of their small flat, a newspaper and a letter clutched in its sizable claws. Rose glanced at her mother's bedroom door and slid the window open, pulling out a small tin of biscuits for the owl as she collected the papers. She winced as it hooted disdainfully at the stale gingersnaps.

"Look, I'm sorry, but it's all we've got. It's not like I'm able to pop over to Diagon Alley and pick up owl treats, y'know."

"Rose? Who're you talking to?" Her mother's door opened and Jackie Tyler stepped out, cinching her dressing down shut. She paled as she saw the owl at the window. "What's that doing here? Rose, get that _thing_ out of our house—"

"Mum." Something about her daughter's voice caught Jackie's attention, and she closed her mouth quickly. Rose had paled, her brown eyes wide. "It's over."

"What?" Jackie hurried over to her 15-year-old daughter, staring over her shoulder at the front page of the Daily Prophet.

_**LORD VOLDEMORT DEFEATED—Death Eaters Scattered**_

_**Harry Potter's Victory: details, page 2**_

She raised a trembling hand to her mouth. "Oh, my god."

The owl hooted, glaring at Rose, and she came back to herself with a blink. "Oh, right! I'm sorry, just a mo'." She hurried to her room and came back a few minutes later with a small bronze coin that she tucked into the small pouch on its leg. "Here you go."

With a grave look, the owl turned and swooped out the window, leaving a small black feather floating behind it.

Jackie cleared her throat, holding her gown shut tight at the neck. "Where'd you get that?"

"Where'd I get what?" Rose flushed and widened her eyes, going for innocent. Judging by her mother's expression, she didn't succeed.

"That was one of those wizard coins, a galleon or a nugget or whatever. Where did you get that?"

She stared down at her polka dot socks, scuffing the worn out toes against the carpet. "It's nothing, mum."

"Rose Marion Tyler, don't you tell me that's nothing. That coin is a part of that whole messed up world, and I want to know where you got it from." Rose mumbled out an answer, and Jackie crossed her arms. "What was that?"

"I _said_, I got it from Mickey's gran. She gives me somethin' for helping out with chores, sometimes."

Jackie lowered herself onto the couch, her grey eyes wide. "Oh my god, Rita's a witch?"

Rose ducked her head, biting her lip. If Jackie was upset to hear Rita-Anne Smith was a witch, she'd be furious to hear about the lessons she'd been giving Rose while Jackie was at work. She cleared her throat. "There's a letter, too."

Jackie blinked and stood up, picking up the heavy parchment envelope. Rose tightened her hands in the long sleeves of her jumper. She'd recognized the crest on the envelope immediately—it was the same as the one on the letter she'd received four years ago, the same as the one that was emblazoned on her father's diploma.

Jackie read the letter and paled, her grip crinkling the ivory paper. Rose swallowed. "Mum? What is it?"

Jackie stood abruptly, heading into the kitchen, and soon Rose heard the familiar noises of the preparation of her morning tea. She swallowed and picked up the letter herself, scanning it eagerly.

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Headmistress Minerva McGonagall_

_Dear Ms. Tyler, _

_We are pleased to inform you that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will once again be open to all who have been accepted to the school. The past few turbulent years have been hard on all of us, but in this new era we must look to the future. It is with this goal in mind that we once again offer you a place at our school. Placement exams will be available for those whose schooling has been disrupted by the recent conflict. After the results have been received, a list of necessary books and equipment will be made available. Term begins September 1. We await your response no later than August 15._

_Yours sincerely, _

_Pomona Sprout_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Rose bit her lip, her eyes widening in excitement. It was safe again. She could go back.

"I don't know _what_ they think they're doin'." Jackie stood in the doorway, her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of tea and her eyes blazing. "Playin' at everything being safe, pretending everything's okay."

Rose's heart sank. "What do you mean?"

Jackie strode in and grabbed the letter, tossing it in the rubbish bin. "I already lost my husband to that lot. I'm not losin' my daughter, too."

"But, Mum!"

"Don't you '_But, Mum!_' me!" Jackie set down her mug, her hands shaking. "I thank god every day that you weren't old enough to remember what happened to your dad, but I _was_. I saw what they did to 'im, and I'm never gonna forget it."

"Mum, it's over! Voldemort is gone!"

"Yeah? An' what about his followers, then? What about the Death Heads or whatever their name is?"

Rose set her jaw stubbornly, straightening until she was eye-to-eye with her mum. "It's safe at Hogwarts."

"Yeah? That's why that boy died in the Tournament your first year, 'cause Hogwarts was so 'safe'?" Rose opened her mouth to protest, and Jackie raised her hand. "_No_, Rose. I'm not lettin' you go back."

"But, Mum! How am I s'posed to learn about magic, then?"

Jackie's jaw tightened, and she turned her gaze to the window "You won't. You've managed the last three years without any of that madness, you can keep goin'."

"But I can't." Rose narrowed her eyes and a breeze began to rise around her, sending her hair whipping around her head. Jackie yelped and held her dressing gown closed, her mouth hanging open. "I'm a witch, Mum, no matter how much you want to ignore it." She scowled and tugged her jumper down as it began to flutter in the swirling air. "I don't fit in here, Mum. I can't just go to a normal school an' pretend I'm not who I am."

As Rose calmed, the air around her stilled. Jackie stared at her, her eyes wide. "How'd you do that?"

Rose's face crumpled. "I don't _know_, Mum. All this stuff's just waiting in my fingertips, beggin' to be let out." She stared into her mother's eyes. "_Please_, Mum. I need to go back."

Jackie bit her lip and pulled Rose into her arms. "Sweetheart, please. Can't you just forget all this? I don't want to lose you, too."

Rose blinked back the tears that were filling her eyes. "Mum, I can't forget it. It's who I am. An' you're not going to lose me. You got through my first year, didn't you? I wrote you every week."

Jackie's breath hitched. "It's not the same. Oh, Rose, darling, you're my little girl. I just want to protect you."

Rose scowled. "I'm fifteen, Mum. I'm not a little girl anymore."

Jackie stepped back, cupping Rose's cheek gently. "That's where you're wrong, sweetheart. You'll always be my little girl." Rose protested, and she raised her hand. "But… you're right. I can't just wish this away." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Pete tried to give up 'is magic, after we got married. It wasn't a week before he was near tearin' his hair out, an' he didn't have much hair to spare in the first place." She looked up and met Rose's eyes, looking exhausted and resigned. "Now I never understood all this magic stuff, but I did understand him. He _needed _it. And you're his daughter, through and through." She ran a hand over her eyes. "So if this Lord What's-it is really gone, then… then I guess you're going back."

Rose hugged her tight, feeling like her grin would near split her face in two. "_Thank_ you."

"Yeah." Jackie stepped back and retreated to her bedroom, her cooled tea in hand.

Rose spun a little, laughing. After three years of waiting, she was going back. She _had _to tell Mickey.

Half an hour and a quick shower later, she pounded at the Smith's door, still grinning. A strident voice called from inside. "Hold your horses!" A few minutes later the door creaked open, and Rita-Anne Smith looked out. "Who's there? I've got pepper spray, and I'm not afraid to use it."

"It's me, Ms. Smith."

The older woman blinked behind her thick sunglasses. "Rosie? Is that you? Come in, child. You sound happy."

Rose slipped past her, spinning as the door shut. "Oh, I am. I've got the most amazing news—you won't believe it."

"The Dark Lord is dead."

She stared at the older woman, confused. "Wait, how'd you know? You don't get the Daily Prophet anymore."

Ms. Smith chuckled and walked into the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of tea. "I may be blind, child, but that doesn't mean I can't See."

Rose winced and ran a hand over her hair. "I'm still a bit rubbish at Divination."

"That's because you don't take the time to really look. Now, have you been practicing your incantations? We were working on Transfigurations, weren't we?"

"We were—but I haven't told you everything! I got a letter this morning. Hogwarts is opening up again. I can go back."

"Oh, but that's marvelous!"

Another voice broke in from the doorway and Rose turned to see Mickey standing there in a rumpled sweatshirt, his eyes stormy and his voice heavy with sarcasm. "Well, that's just _brilliant_." He stormed out the front door, and she bit her lip and jumped up.

"I'd better go talk to him. I'll be back soon, okay?"

Ms. Smith just nodded, looking troubled, and Rose hurried after Mickey. She found him at the grimy playground near the estate, on the swings. She joined him there, drifting back and forth in the breeze. "Mickey?"

He glanced at her and threw a pebble to the ground. "Oh, so you came after me. That's a nice surprise."

"Listen, what are you so mad about?"

"You're leavin' again, aren't you?" He glared at her, and she stared evenly at him. "No matter what we had, it's not enough. You get a chance to get out of here, and poof. You're gone."

"I'll still write, an' you know I'll be back on holidays."

He thrust out his jaw. "It's not goin' to be the same."

She tightened her grip on the chains of the swing. "Is that such a bad thing, Mickey? I can learn stuff there that I'd never get a chance to hear about around here."

He snorted. "Yeah, 'cause it's not plain enough already that I weren't enough for you. It's never enough to just be _here_, is it? No, it's all about that damn magic."

Rose frowned. "Mickey, don't be ridiculous. I'm not leavin' 'cause you're not enough for me."

"Right. I believe that, with the lessons with Gran every chance you got. Why were you even goin' out with me, Rose? Was it just 'cause I was convenient?"

She stood suddenly, her eyes nearly sparking in anger. "How can you ask me that, Mickey Smith?"

He glared stonily back at her. "How can I not?"

"You wanna know why I was goin' out with you? It's not because you were _convenient_. It was because you were nice, an' funny, and I always knew I could count on you. Guess I was wrong." She spun and ran off, heading back to her flat. He caught up to her at the stairwell, his breathing labored.

"Rose, wait."

"What for? So you can tell me more about how I don't care about you? No. I've had enough of talkin' to you, Mickey. Leave me alone."

"But I—"

"Goodbye, Mickey." With that, she slammed the door in his face and leaned against it, sniffling back the tears that were threatening. A soft meow came from her feet, and she looked down at the handsome dark grey tomcat at her feet. With a sob, she slumped to the floor and cuddled him to her chest. "Oh, Captain Jack."

"Rose? What was that?" Jackie came out of her bedroom, hair blown out and makeup fully done.

"That… that was the sound of somethin' ending." She held Jack tighter, and he blinked his big blue eyes up at her as he cuddled closer while she closed her eyes. _It's only three more months. I can handle three more months._

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	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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Rose pulled her father's battered trunk closer to her as she pulled her rucksack on, Captain Jack winding around her ankles. Platform 9 ¾ wasn't anything like the bustling good cheer she remembered. There were scars beneath the goodbyes, arms that held a bit too tight and eyes that watched a bit too long. She chewed on her lip as she dropped her trunk off with the rest of the luggage and made her way onto the train, holding Jack tight in her arms.

Jackie had had to work this morning and Rose had assured her that she could get to the station on her own, but for the first time, Rose wished her mother was there to say goodbye, tight Muggle jeans and all. At least then she wouldn't feel so alone. All the compartments she passed were full, the occupants huddling tight together, their voices high with forced cheer. The little first years were staring around them, their eyes wide. Rose smiled crookedly. She remembered what that was like, the awe and wonder of her first glimpse of the wizarding world.

She bumped into someone, and turned to apologize. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I wasn't watchin' where I was goin'."

The two girls crossed their arms, and the blonde blocked the doorway. The brunette spoke, glaring at her. "Well well well, looks like it's another one. You think that you can just run away when things get tough, and then come back and do whatever you want?"

Rose frowned, confused. "Look, it was an accident. I'm sorry."

"Maybe sorry's not good enough. Maybe things shouldn't be so damn _easy_ for you."

Rose straightened, glaring at her. "Yeah, maybe I wasn't here during the war. That doesn't mean my life was easy."

"Oh, please." The girl pulled out her wand, and Rose reached into her pocket for her own.

"Oi." Rose turned at the new voice and found herself looking at a beanpole of a boy with a wild thatch of dark hair. His large brown eyes were narrowed at the other girls. "Are you really going to do this? As if we haven't had enough fighting."

The brunette stepped forward aggressively, the blonde behind her. "Yeah? What are you going to do about it?"

He strolled forward and stopped, rocking back and forth in his beat-up trainers. "You know, I've had quite a bit of time on my hands lately, what with not being in school and all. And, well, it gets a bit boring, doesn't it? If you're out of school for too long, time off begins to lose its luster, and that's just a shame. "

The brunette stepped forward, her blue eyes blazing. "Some of us didn't have time off, like you lot. Some of us had to stay. And let me tell you, school isn't half so _fun_ as you remember when it's being run by Death Eaters."

"Now, now, interrupting's a bit rude, innit?" She glared at him, and he raised an eyebrow. "Now, where was I going earlier? Oh, yes. I've had plenty of time to create my own spells, but what with the Ministry's ban on underage magic, I haven't been able to test them yet." His jovial expression faded, leaving something hard and frightening in its wake. "You want to be careful with spells like that. Never know what they might do."

For the first time, the brunette faltered. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

The two of them backed up and fled, throwing dirty looks over their shoulders. Rose released her breath and her wand and turned to the boy with a small smile. "Thanks."

"No problem." He watched the two girls disappear before turning to Rose, and his mouth fell open as he caught sight of her. His jaw shut with a click and he cleared his throat, a light blush spreading over his freckled face. "I mean, happy to help, of course." He grinned suddenly and stuck his hand out. "Hullo. I'm the Doctor."

Rose took it and grinned, watching his throat bob as her tongue peeked out from between her teeth. "Rose Tyler." She cocked her head to the side, sticking her hands in her back pockets. "So, is that a family name, then?"

He blinked, startled. "What?"

"Well, you don't meet many blokes named 'the Doctor' nowadays."

"Oh. Oh! Yes, well…" he stuck out his hand again, and Rose took it bemusedly. "John Mott. It's a pleasure to meet you, Rose Tyler."

"Same here." He grinned at her, and she found herself grinning back without thought.

After a moment he cleared his throat, glancing down the hallway. "So, do you have a compartment full of friends waiting for you?"

"Actually, I was just lookin' for somewhere to sit."

"Brilliant. We can find a place, then." He tugged on her hand, and she realized with a start that he'd never let go. "Allons-y!"

They were halfway down the train before they found an open compartment, and John (or the Doctor—and what was _that_ about?) opened the door with a grand flourish. "Your seat, Dame Rose."

"Thank you, Sir John." She slipped in with a giggle, tucking her rucksack onto the top shelf. Captain Jack leapt onto the seat, meowing plaintively. She scratched him under the chin, rolling her eyes. "Oh, stop your complain', Jack. You're just mad I haven't been paying attention to you."

"Oh, who's this?" John peered closer, his eyes wide behind thick specs.

"This is Captain Jack." Rose sat back and watched John watch Jack, and vice versa. Jack got up suddenly and hopped into John's lap, settling down with a contented purr.

John grinned down at the silky lump in his lap, a long-fingered hand petting him absently. "He's quite a friendly one, isn't he?"

"Oh, yeah. Jack's even made friends with all the dogs on the estate—there isn't anybody he won't go after, if it means he might get a cuddle."

John grimaced, though his hand kept up its steady rhythm. "Well, now I just feel cheap."

Rose settled back into the seats, watching him curiously for a few quiet minutes. "So, what's 'the Doctor' about?"

"Hmm?"

She fiddled with the end of her braid, glancing up at him through her lashes. "You introduced yourself as the Doctor, the first time. Or are Healers just a lot younger than I remember?"

John tugged on an earlobe, a blush reddening his cheeks again. "It's kind of a long story."

"Well, we've got a bit of a ride in front of us, yeah?" She stopped suddenly and blushed. "Unless you don't want to talk about it, which is fine."

"No, no! It's fine." He glanced down at the cat in his lap and a small smile quirked the edges of his mouth. "Since I was a kid, I've always been interested in creatures—small and fluffy, large and scaly, it doesn't matter. They're all just so _fascinating_. Apparently, when I was little I used to bring home anything I found—especially if it was hurt—to try and take care of them." He scrubbed a hand through his hair, and Rose bit her lip against a giggle. She hadn't thought his hair could get any wilder, but she'd been wrong. "It didn't really work out, most times; let's just say I don't have much of a future as a Healer. I kept trying, though. My sister—well, not really, but she's like my sister—Donna, she's the one who started calling me the Doctor. It just kind of… stuck." He glanced up at Rose and blushed again. "It's a bit daft, I know."

"No, it's not. It suits you. It's kind of… sweet." She smiled at him. "I used to do the same thing—I was always bringin' home strays. It drove my mum mad."

He grinned back at her, opening his mouth to speak, when the door to their compartment crashed open and a red-headed fury came storming in. "_There_ you are! I've been lookin' all over for you, lugging your blasted suitcase up and down the train. I swear, that bloody thing's got to be bigger on the inside, it's so heavy. And I'm not even going to mention the owl."

The Doctor jumped up, chagrined, and shoved his suitcase onto the top rack. "I'm so sorry. I totally forgot."

"Of course you did, space boy. I swear, your brain's not on this planet half the time."

Rose jumped up and caught the covered owl cage before it could topple over, wincing. "It's my fault, really. I got to talkin' with 'im, and I guess he got distracted."

The redhead raised an eyebrow and looked her over quickly. "I'll say he did." She shot an amused glance at the Doctor, who was blushing again.

He cleared his throat. "Donna, this is Rose. Rose, this is Donna—she's like my sister."

Donna plopped down on the seat next to Rose with a grin. "This lump's my uncle, actually."

Rose blinked and looked back and forth between them. The Doctor seemed to be around her age—maybe a year older—but Donna looked like a seventh-year. The Doctor sighed and sat back down, smiling slightly as Captain Jack once again took over his lap. "You love telling people that, don't you?" He looked at Rose. "Donna's granddad adopted me when I was a baby, so yeah. She's technically my niece. Doesn't stop her from bossing me around, though."

Donna snorted. "You need somebody to look after you, space boy."

"Oi! I can look after myself!"

"Yeah, you walked into that pole last week 'cause you're so good at lookin' after yourself."

The Doctor blushed. "I couldn't help it. That book was really interesting."

Rose giggled and he glanced at her and smiled, his ears reddening. She bit her lip. _He really is adorable when he blushes._

There was a low hoot from the Doctor's owl cage, and he blinked at it, seemingly surprised to see it in Rose's hands. "Oh! Thanks for grabbing that—Idris would never forgive me if I let her get knocked about." He reached over and collected it carefully, dislodging Captain Jack, who moved over to Donna with a purr. He pulled the thick brown cover off the cage, and Rose stared. Inside was a beautiful medium-sized barn owl, but she wasn't like any owl Rose had ever seen before.

She stared at her, fascinated. "She's _blue._"

The owl hooted again, watching Rose curiously with golden eyes. Though her face and a thick ring around her neck were a soft cream color, all of the rest of her feathers were a deep ocean blue.

The Doctor blushed again and rubbed the nape of his neck. "Yeah, I wasn't very good at controlling my magic when I first got her. Still don't know how I did it, to be honest. Wilf offered to get me another one, but Eeylops refused to take her back—I'm glad I've still got her, though. And she doesn't seem to mind it."

The owl reached out and nipped his finger at that, and he yelped. Rose and Donna looked at each other and burst into giggles, and the Doctor scowled, shaking his hand out. "Oh, yes. It's very funny. There's no sympathy for my poor finger."

Donna settled, still laughing a little. "Doctor, I'll give you sympathy when you deserve it. Until then, don't hold your breath."

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	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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The door to the compartment rolled open again, and Rose looked up to see a beautiful black girl in Ravenclaw robes, a neat suitcase in one hand and a small owl cage in the other. She glanced around at them before smiling hopefully at the Doctor. "Hey, guys. Is it all right if I join you? I just finished my patrol, and the rest of the Prefects wanted to stay together."

Donna piped up, rolling her eyes at the girl's expression. "Sure, Martha. We've still got room."

"Oh, good." She put her luggage away and sat next to the Doctor, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Hi, Doctor. I didn't see you much this summer."

He edged away from her, leaning back against the window. "Yeah, Wilf and I did some traveling."

Donna snorted. "What he means is, he escaped Mum. She's been a right terror lately, and they were lucky enough to get away. _I_, on the other hand, wasn't as fortunate. Instead I got to listen to her complain about how everyone was abandoning her. For _months_."

He winced. "I did say sorry about that, Donna."

"Yeah, well." She sniffed. "I'm still not tired of hearing it." Rose shifted in her seat, and Donna looked at her. "Oh, right! You two haven't been introduced yet. Rose, this is Martha Jones—we grew up together. Martha, this is Rose... I'm sorry, I didn't catch your last name."

"No, it's all right. Rose Tyler. 'S nice to meet you." She shook hands with Martha, who was looking thoughtful.

"Rose Tyler… that sounds familiar. I could've sworn you weren't here last year, though."

"Oh, I wasn't. I was here for my first year, but when things started to go bad Mum pulled me out." She shrugged. "We're all each other has, really, so she wanted to keep me safe."

Donna shook her head. "I don't blame her. The Doc and I didn't go last year—Granddad taught us at home. Martha here, though—she was here through all of it."

Martha shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. "Seriously, be glad your mum did what she did. I know Headmaster Snape was supposed to be on our side, but the Carrows definitely weren't. They were completely mad." Her eyes hardened. "Serves 'em right that they're in Azkaban. I only wish they'd been taken out in the last battle."

Rose frowned. "What happened with Professor Snape, anyway? He always used to creep me out, with all his swooping and glaring."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "You really don't know?"

"No. Mum's a Muggle, an' when she pulled me out, she cut off all contact. My neighbor used to get the Daily Prophet, so I heard about him killin' Dumbledore, but I haven't heard anything since."

Martha tilted her head, curious. "What year are you, then?"

"Fifth. My boyfriend Mickey's—" she paused, and corrected herself—"well, _ex_-boyfriend's grandmum's a witch, an' she taught me." The Doctor sat up a little straighter at that, his eyes brightening behind his thick-rimmed specs.

Donna nodded enthusiastically, leaning closer. "Well, apparently Snape was a double agent the whole time. Even when he killed Professor Dumbledore, he did it on Dumbledore's own orders."

Rose shivered. "I can't believe Professor Dumbledore planned his own death. Poor Professor Snape, to have to do that."

The Doctor sighed. "He really did have a rotten lot in life. I know he was a bit rough on the others, but he was always good to us—tough, but good."

Rose raised her eyebrows. "To us?"

"To the Slytherins."

She blinked, disconcerted. "Oh. You're a Slytherin?"

He smiled crookedly. "Yup. What house are you?"

"Gryffindor."

Donna smiled. "Same as me. I'm glad we met up, then—a lot of my friends haven't come back. Their families are still too freaked." She paused, looking thoughtful. "Though I think Hermione and Ginny are comin' back, at least."

Martha frowned. "Hermione Granger's coming back to Hogwarts? I though the Golden Trio could do pretty much whatever they wanted, now."

Donna shook her head a little, grinning as she petted Captain Jack. "Why else do you think she's comin' back to school?" She paused. "Gotta say, though, it doesn't really surprised me that Harry and Ron ducked out of school early."

Rose cocked her head, curious. "You know them?"

Donna shrugged. "Ginny's in my dorm, so yeah, I know 'em a little. Hermione better than the boys, though. I think they're already at Hogwarts, actually. Gin said they were helpin' rebuild the school this summer."

Martha leaned back against the seat, her eyes distant. "I'm glad they've been working on it. It was torn apart by the battle—Mum was completely thrown when I got the owl about the school re-opening." She looked down at her hands. "I'm glad, though. At least this way I don't have to decide between her and Dad, the way Tish and Leo did."

Donna made a sympathetic noise, and Rose shifted uneasily in her seat. The Doctor caught her eye and cleared his throat. "So, what happened to the school? I mean, I've seen the pictures in the Daily Prophet, but they've never been too good at showing what's really going on."

Martha sighed. "Picture a paper lantern. Now imagine somebody decided to chuck a bunch of stones at it. It's _not_ pretty." She looked away, eyes on the doorway without registering the students that passed outside. "They'll have to stretch a bit with the faculty. Dunno if you ever took her, but Professor Marston was killed in the battle, and Professor Bellsworth died later. Took him a few weeks, from what I heard."

Donna looked down. "I'd seen that they weren't offering Musical Theory this year. I was hoping it was for some other reason, though."

Martha glanced up, and a crooked smile flashed over her face. "No such luck. From what Mum said, Professor McGonagall had enough trouble finding substitute teachers for the core courses. I think elective'll be off the table for a while." She glanced down at her watch and yelped. "Oh, crap. Right—you guys had better get changed, we'll be arriving soon. I'm off to remind the others."

Rose collected her rucksack and followed Donna to the lavatory, slipping in before it could get crowded. As she was folding up her jeans after changing into her uniform, Donna glanced over at her and cleared her throat.

"You don't mind, do you? That the Doctor's—John's—in Slytherin?"

Rose shrugged and zipped her suitcase shut. "Why would I? He's not done anything to bother me. He's been lovely, really."

"Good." Donna closed her own suitcase and glanced into the mirror, twisting her hair up with a grimace. "It's just, he doesn't have all that many friends—his housemates aren't very fond of him, and most everybody else just don't like Slytherins. And yeah, I can see why they're not exactly popular—I've had enough trouble with 'em over the years—but the Doctor's not like that."

Rose followed Donna back to their compartment, smiling as she saw him waiting for them, his uniform slightly rumpled. "I know he's not. He seems... better than that."

They slid the door open and entered, and the Doctor winced. "Rose? I'm sorry, but I think your cat's mad at me. I _may_ have accidentally sat on him."

Rose looked at Jack, who was sitting across from the Doctor, full of disheveled dignity. She giggled. "It's all right. He gets himself into tight spots sometimes, he's so desperate to be loved." She picked him up and settled him in her lap, rubbing him under his chin. "You're a regular Casanova, aren't you?"

Martha opened the door and glanced 'round at them. "Oh, good. You're all ready. We'll be pulling into the station soon, so you might want to get your stuff."

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	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

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The train pulled into the station with a shudder, and they followed the stream of students out onto the small platform. A plump, disheveled woman waited outside, and as the students gathered she raised her wand to her throat and spoke a quick incantation. Her voice boomed out across the crowd. "Welcome, students. I am Deputy Headmistress Pomona Sprout. We're nearing the end of your journey, so if the first-years will please follow Professor Hagrid, the rest of you can come with me. You can leave your luggage and your familiars at the end of the platform; they will be delivered to your quarters." Rose glanced at the Doctor, smiling, and he grinned back, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He was still wearing his ratty trainers. As he was opening his mouth to speak to her, though, he caught a glimpse of someone over Rose's shoulder, and his expression shuttered. Without a word, he turned and left.

Rose's mouth dropped open, and she began to turn, but Donna grabbed her shoulder and led her into one of the carriages. "No, don't. Don't look. He hasn't noticed you, yet."

Rose shook her off, confused. "_Who_ hasn't? And what the hell was that about?"

"_That_ was the Doctor, trying to protect you." Martha settled next to them as the carriage jolted into movement. "You weren't facing him, which is good."

"Facing _who?_"

Donna sighed. "Koschei Rosier. He's a right nasty piece of work—the worst of everything Slytherins can be. He's been obsessed with the Doctor from first year." She snorted. "If you ask me, he's just mad the Doctor's not interested."

"It's more than that, though." Martha wrapped her robes more tightly around herself and frowned. "He's been second best to the Doctor from the beginning, and he can't handle that." She turned to Rose. "The Doctor won't care if people are cruel to him, but he can't stand his friends getting hurt. 'S why Koschei's pretty much turned it into a specialty. Last year… last year, he got to do pretty much whatever he wanted." She glanced at Donna. "Seriously, I'm _so_ glad you two weren't here last year. There's no telling what the Doctor would've gotten himself into. Sometimes I think he should've been in Gryffindor."

Donna shrugged. "Nah. He's too calculating for us. He did tell me the Sorting Hat almost put 'im in Ravenclaw, though."

Martha straightened, her eyes brightening. "Really?"

Donna winced, and Rose spoke up. "What year's this Koschei guy, then?"

The redhead turned to her. "Sixth, same as the Doctor." She paused and grimaced. "Or it would be, if the Doctor had ever actually done his homework. I keep forgettin' that. The Doctor's in his fifth year, actually."

"Same as me, then." Rose bit her lip and smiled.

"And me." Martha's grin was a little forced, but as Hogwarts came into view Rose forgot about that. She gasped.

"Oh, my god." Hogwarts was as enormous as she remembered, but the overwhelming majesty of the school was gone. The evidence of spells gone awry pock-marked the school, leaving scorched streaks in some places and crumbling walls in others. The high stained-glass windows were marked with smoke residue, and their carriage jolted as it passed over a particularly rough section of the cobblestones.

Donna stared up at the school, blinking back tears. "I didn't know it was still this bad. Ginny said they'd been concentrating on fixing the structural damage all summer—how bad must it have been, to ignore all this?"

Martha sighed. "Some of the other prefects said they've had to close off whole sections of the school 'cause they're still so badly damaged."

Rose tugged on her braid as she stepped out of the carriage. "I just don't understand why Voldemort would choose to make the whole face-off at a school."

Donna followed her out. "If you want control, what better way than to take over the future?" She looked around them at the flood of students disembarking from the carriages, and the way so many of their eyes lingered on the skeletal horses pulling the carriages. "Voldy may be gone, but he's done enough to hurt the Wizarding world for years to come."

Martha waved at a girl calling her name and turned to Donna and Rose. "Right, I'm off to shepherd students—see you later, yeah?" She paused and forced out a smile. "It was nice to meet you, Rose."

After she hurried off, Rose and Donna joined the rest of the Gryffindors on the way into the Great Hall. Rose cocked an eyebrow at Donna. "What's her deal?"

Donna sighed. "Oh, she's been in love with the Doctor since she was a kid. It's best if you ignore the times when she goes gooey-eyed—Lord knows the Doctor does." Rose nodded slowly, and Donna raised her voice into a shout. "Oi! Ginny!"

A tall redheaded girl turned around at that, her bright brown eyes curious. She caught sight of Donna and grinned, hurrying over to hug her. "Donna! It's so good to see you!"

Donna hugged her back before stepping back, her hands on Ginny's shoulders. "How've you been?"

Ginny ducked her head and tucked her hair behind her ear. "It's been good to be so busy, here at Hogwarts. Mum only left last week—Harry's moved us all in with him at Grimmauld Place until Mum and Dad can get the Burrow re-built. Percy's been working on plans with George, when he's not at the Ministry." She giggled a little, her eyes a bit damp. "I have a feeling the Burrow will be a lot better structured, this time around."

They sat at the far side of the Gryffindor table, and Rose looked over and caught the Doctor's eye. He smiled warmly at her before quickly looking away, but a trim brown-haired boy in Slytherin robes had followed his gaze to stare at her. Rose hastily turned away, and Donna glanced at her. "Oh, right. Guys, this is Rose—she's a fifth-year, but she's been out of Hogwarts for a while. Rose, these are Ginny and Hermione."

Rose looked up and met the curious brown eyes of the girls across from her. Ginny was even lovelier than she'd seemed in the shadowy light of the entrance hall, with a heart-shaped face and wide eyes trimmed with long, pale brown lashes. Hermione seemed a bit older, her long, thick hair hanging loose over her shoulders. She was holding herself carefully and seemed a bit on edge, glancing away every few seconds to look around at the flood of noisy students. Rose smiled at them. "'S nice to meet you."

Ginny grinned at her. "Same here. It's nice to see some new faces around here. What did you do while you were away?"

"One of my neighbors is a witch, and she taught me as well as she could." She grimaced. "I'm still a bit nervous, to be honest. Muggle school's not anything like this."

Hermione looked at her, curious. "Are you a Muggleborn, then?"

"Kind of—my mum's a Muggle, but my dad was a wizard. He's gone, though." She looked down at the empty plate in front of her. "Some Death Eaters got him a few months after I was born."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. It was a long time ago." She smiled weakly at the older girl as the first years trooped in, staring wide-eyed at the enormous hall and the star-lit ceiling.

Ginny was watching them meditatively. "I can't believe we were once that innocent."

Professor Sprout stepped forward to sort the students, and they applauded on cue as the kids were sorted into the different houses. The hall grew quiet as Headmistress McGonagall stood and approached the lectern.

Rose stared. Minerva McGonagall looked decades older than she had when Rose saw her last, only three years ago; her dark hair was now liberally streaked with silver.

When she spoke, though, her voice was strong and clear. "I would like to welcome you, one and all, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The past few years have been hard ones for the Wizarding World. We have lost many that we loved, including our past two Headmasters and three of our professors. At times, it seemed like there was no light in the world. But this school stands as a repudiation to that darkness. Hogwarts endures because of the hard work and sacrifice of people from all houses, from all family backgrounds. Those that would impose their small-minded limits on our society have failed because we stood together, and we will continue to do so. Within these walls walks the future of the Wizarding World, and it is a bright one. No matter our past, we will carry on. With that in mind, I'd like to introduce the new members of our faculty. Professor Bryn—" a short, rotund woman bobbed to her feet, nodded at the students and sat back down—"will be teaching Transfiguration this year. Professor Cosgrove—" a tall man with long, curly brown hair rose to his feet and bowed shortly at them—"will be taking over Astronomy during Professor Sinistra's convalescence, and Professor Smith will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts." The last person to stand was a brunette middle-aged woman, her hair back in a neat ponytail and her robes impeccably tailored.

Rose applauded with the others as McGonagall sat back down at the Head table and gestured for the food to appear. Hermione was watching the Headmistress, her brown eyes thoughtful. Ginny nudged her in the side. "What's on your mind?"

"I'm glad she mentioned the last _two_ Headmasters." She looked over at the Slytherin table, more sparsely populated than any other. "It was really bad for the Slytherins that stayed to help rebuild Hogwarts, over the summer. I hope things will be different now that school's started."

Ginny scowled down at her full plate. "It's not really a surprise, considering how they've treated everyone else over the years."

Donna frowned. "Oi! Not all Slytherins are like that."

Ginny raised an eyebrow at her. "Come off it. Your uncle's not a typical Slytherin, and you know it." She looked down at her plate. "Besides, Donna, you weren't here last year. They pretty much got free reign of the place, and of the people." There was a tense silence before she looked up, a smile pasted on her face. "But enough of that. What classes are you taking?"

The rest of evening went quickly, and Rose found herself relaxing as Donna and Ginny joked with each other. Maybe she didn't need to feel so awfully out place, after all.

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	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

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At the end of the Welcoming Feast the food vanished as expertly as it had arrived, and Hermione got up and cleared her throat. "Students, if you would follow your prefects to Gryffindor tower?"

Rose and Donna followed her and Ginny as they led the students out of the hall and up the staircases. Donna was watching Hermione curiously. "Aren't you a prefect this year?"

Hermione glanced back at her and blushed a little, brushing her hair back over her shoulder. A golden badge gleamed on the shoulder of her jumper. "I'm Head Girl this year, actually. Jeffrey Llywelen from Hufflepuff is Head Boy."

They arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady, and Rose gasped. The Fat Lady was still there, but her canvas had been mangled. She sat on the floor, glaring up at the tear in the fabric. At the sight of the students, she blanched and hurriedly checked her hair in a small mirror. "Oh, lord, is it that time already? Hermione, dear, couldn't you do _something_ about getting me patched up? This is no way to start the year."

Hermione shrugged. "Sorry, ma'am, but the Headmistress wanted us to focus on structural repairs before we started on more superficial ones."

"Superficial? Oh, where _is_ Minerva? I'm going to give her a piece of my mind, I really am—"

Hermione raised her voice to carry to all the students. "_Arma potentius aequum_."

The Fat Lady sniffed. "Fine, if that's how you're going to be." With a creak the portrait swung open, and the Gryffindors filed into the common room. Donna stretched, yawning. "Y'know, as great as it is to be back, I think I'll head off to bed. What about you, Ginny?"

She nodded. "I'll be up in a minute. We were doing some last-minute repairs this morning—I never thought I'd find a better workout than one of Charlie's Quidditch practices, but this summer proved me wrong." She rolled her neck and sighed. "I've got sore muscles that I didn't even know existed."

Rose spoke up. "I think I'll head off to bed, as well." She grinned. "Might as well meet my roommates sometime."

Donna chuckled as she went up the stairs. "G'night, Rose."

"'Night, Donna." Rose opened the door to the fifth-year dormitory and walked in. "Hello? Anybody here?"

There was a rustle, and two girls came into view—Rose gulped. They were the ones who had accosted her on the train. The brunette girl was petite, with long, straight hair and blue eyes; the blonde was taller and rather gawky, with wide-set green eyes. They glared at her, and she smiled nervously.

"Hello. Guess we're going to be roommates, yeah? I'm Rose, Rose Tyler."

The brunette spoke up. "Genevieve Burgoh." She nodded at the other girl. "And this is Rebecca Fleming." She stepped closer, looking Rose up and down. "Well, well, won't this year be interesting. You don't have a pet Slytherin to protect you in here."

Rose backed up, diving into her pocket for her wand. "He's not my pet—that was the first time we'd met."

Genevieve sneered at her. "D'you think I care? Blimey, you must be as stupid as you look." There was a hiss from her feet, and she looked down to see Captain Jack growling at her. "How cute. He's protecting his mummy."

She roughly kicked him aside and Rose whipped out her wand, her voice raised angrily. "What the _hell_ is your problem? I wasn't here like you were, so you get to treat me however you like? I don't think so."

Genevieve's eyes lit with a manic spark and she leveled her wand at Rose, settling into a dueling stance. "So dueling's the way you want it, huh?"

The door slammed open and Hermione stood in the doorway, panting a little from the stairs. Her hair was bristling with magic, and her eyes were blazing. "What in Merlin's name do the two of you think you're doing?"

Genevieve sneered at her. "Oh, look, it's another one who ran away." Rebecca's eyes widened, and she backed up.

Hermione turned to her, her expression gone eerily blank. "What was that?"

The brunette fifth-year stepped forward, her jaw thrust out angrily. "You heard what I said. You're this great big hero, just because you stepped in at the last minute. Some of us didn't have the luxury of staying away, you know."

"The _luxury?_" Hermione glared down at the shorter girl. "I'd suggest you close your mouth. If you keep talking, soon everyone will know _exactly_ how much of an ignorant fool you are." Genevieve was breathing heavily by now, her eyes narrowed. She jerked her wand up, but with a silent gesture, Hermione disarmed her. She watched Genevieve, considering. "You need to talk this out with someone, Miss Burgoh. Headmistress McGonagall has selected Professor Smith to be the interim Gryffindor Head of House. I'd suggest you set up an appointment." She glanced over her shoulder at Rose. "In the meantime, I believe there's an open bunk in the seventh-year dorm. If I can't trust you lot to be in one room together, it might be better to have you separated. Do you mind?"

Rose looked at Genevieve and shook her head. "No, not at all. Let me just grab my stuff, and I'll be out of here."

Hermione shook her head impatiently. "No need. The house elves get insulted if you try to do their work for them." She snorted a little, a small smile quirking her mouth. "Took me long enough to figure that out."

"Right." Rose bent down, holding out her arms, and Captain Jack leapt into them. She followed Hermione out of the room and up the stairs, settling on her new bed with a sigh. "I don't know what her problem is, but I bet it's hard to pronounce."

Ginny left the bathroom, hairbrush in hand, as Hermione went in. "What happened?"

Rose grimaced as she changed into her pyjamas. "One of my roommates seems to have a grudge, not to mention some _serious_ issues."

Donna frowned. "How can that be? You just got here." She raised an eyebrow. "Unless something happened your first year."

"Not that I can remember, no. I got along pretty well with my classmates, before I dropped out."

Ginny set down her hairbrush and plopped onto her bed, curious. "So, who is it?"

"Genevieve Burgoh. I met her on the train earlier—that's actually how I met the Doctor, Donna. He warned 'em off before they could make more trouble."

Ginny winced. "Ooh. No wonder she's mad. The Slytherins really had it out for her, last year—her dad's the Carrows' cousin, you see, but he married a Muggle. As soon as they were hired, they went after her."

Rose scowled. "But the Doctor wasn't even here last year, an' neither was I."

Donna nodded vigorously. "Not to mention he'd _never_ hurt someone like that."

Ginny sighed. "I didn't say it made sense." She shrugged, her eyes losing focus. "Some people just don't know how to deal with what they've been through."

Hermione left the bathroom wearing a baggy jumper that hung nearly to her knees. "I'm going to tell Professor Smith to keep an eye on her." She sat down on her bed and pulled her hair up into a loose ponytail. "This year's going to be murder on the Heads of House. The war may be finished, but for some of these people it'll never be over." She sighed and slid under her covers, yawning as she closed the curtains. "G'night."

There was a chorus of good nights and Rose closed her curtains and curled up in her bed, staring at the top of her canopy. A sudden pang of homesickness surprised her. Captain Jack leapt up beside her, warm and purring, and she pulled him into her arms. "Oh, Jack. What have I gotten myself into?" Sure, she wasn't able to do magic on the estate, but at least things were simple there. _Simple and __boring_, she reminded herself. She tightened her jaw. _I can do this. I can._

ΘΣ

_Arma potentius aequum: _"Justice is more powerful than weapons".


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

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Rose stared down at the list of homework she'd been assigned and groaned. "I can't do this."

Donna was sitting next to her in the library, her own list in her hands. "The start of the first weekend, and I'm already swamped with work. So much for them easing us back into school."

"Oh, come on. Easy wouldn't be half as much fun." Donna crooked her neck to glare at the Doctor, who was leaning against the entrance to the small alcove they'd adopted.

He grinned at them, and she snorted. "Like you'll actually end up doing the homework. You'll ignore it, like always, and barely scrape by with a passing grade just 'cause you aced the tests."

He flopped into the chair next to Rose, pouting indignantly at Donna. "Oi! There's no way I'm that predictable." She raised a skeptical eyebrow at him, and he slouched lower in his seat. "I _can_ do the homework, you know. I just get caught up in other things." He glanced at Rose, and perked up as he saw her list. "Ooh, we've got all the same classes! We should study together. After all, I've already gone through this year, technically."

Rose raised her eyebrows at him, grinning. "Oh, yeah? If you had to take it again, though, should I trust you with my homework time?"

"I don't know what you mean. Old Reliable, they call me. Or is that a geyser?"

"Thought you were just sayin' how unpredictable you are?"

He paused for a moment. "Ah." Donna began to laugh, and he shot her a look. "Oh, be quiet. I _did_ read through all the textbooks. I just found more interesting things to read at the same time."

Donna rolled her eyes. "That, and you couldn't be bothered to wake up on time for the placement exam." She grinned at Rose. "I swear, this bloke doesn't know how to use a clock. He _never _gets places on time."

He sniffed haughtily. "Clocks are simply a mechanism that humans use in an attempt to harness the incomprehensible concept of Time. It's like mistaking a Chocolate Frog card for Merlin himself."

"Oh, please. You just can't be arsed with a schedule."

"Donna!" The Doctor's ears were violently red by now, and Rose was giggling helplessly.

She snorted. "Don't pull the offended innocent on me. I know for a fact you're heard worse from Granddad." She checked her watch and gathered her things. "Well, kids, I've got a meeting in ten minutes." She winked. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, eh?"

Rose blushed furiously, and the Doctor coughed and tugged on his ear. Donna swept out, leaving an awkward silence in her wake. After a moment, he looked up and caught Rose's eyes. "I did mean it, you know."

She blinked. "Mean what?"

"About studying together." He shrugged lightly. "Might make the year a bit easier, yeah?"

She grinned, her tongue peeking out. The Doctor's eyes flickered down to her mouth before moving back to her eyes hurriedly, a light blush making his freckles stand out like a constellation. She cocked her head. "I think I'd like that."

"Yeah? I mean, yeah. That's good." He leaned forward. "So what do you want to start on first, Rose Tyler?"

"Surprise me."

ΘΣ

Several hours later, Rose heard a low growl and realized with a start that it had come from her own stomach. The Doctor paused in his reading, blinking at her from behind his thick-framed specs. She flushed. "Sorry! I'm still listening, really I am."

"No need to apologize, it's fine." He checked his watch, and his eyebrows flew up. "Especially since dinner started a few minutes ago."

She blinked, stunned. "Really? Blimey, I never woulda thought I'd find history that interesting."

The Doctor grinned. "It's all about your sources. First time I sat through one of Professor Binns' classes, I thought, 'This can't be right. People are mad and brilliant and scary and amazing—there's no way Wizarding history is actually this boring.' So I decided I'd find out on my own. You wouldn't _believe_ some of the stuff I've found." He slung his bag over his shoulder, gesturing with his chin at the portrait of the stuffy-looking wizard peering out of the Astronomy section. "Urtobrand the Inimitable over there? Yeah, he may've created the first Wizarding telescope, but he also left his wife to marry her mother."

Rose stared at him as she packed her bag, wrinkling her nose. "Oh, my god. You're kiddin', right?"

"Nope." He popped the 'p', looking pleased at her response. "Found out about it in _Wizarding History of the 1400s._ You can bet that Professor Binns would never mention _that_."

She snorted. "Class'd be a hell of a lot more interesting if he did."

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" He grinned at her, bumping her shoulder with his own.

They headed down towards the Great Hall, with the Doctor narrating the portraits as they went. Margery Kempe glared at them as he told Rose about how she had accidentally brewed the first batch of Butterbeer. "Of course, that wasn't what she was actually going for. But the rest, as they say, is history." Rose paused, reaching out for his hand, and he broke off, blinking down at her. "What?"

She laid a finger against her lips, looking at the portraits. The ones near the corner were eerily silent, their ears cocked towards the next corridor. She grinned up at him. "Come on."

They slunk closer to the corner, holding their breaths. Two voices drifted towards them, carrying further in the dinnertime quiet. The man spoke first. "And you're sure it's them?"

A woman replied, her voice tired. "Of course I'm sure. I've had enough encounters with them, over the years. Damn people are like cockroaches—they just won't go away."

"Have you told the Ministry?"

"Told 'em as soon as I saw them, but I haven't heard back yet. If Kingsley was still with the Aurors at least I'd know that _someone_ was listening, but the new Head Auror's so determined to do things his way it'll be a mercy if anything gets done at all."

"So the Death Eaters are back at Hogwarts." Rose's eyes widened, and she tightened her grip on the Doctor's hand. He squeezed back, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder. The man continued. "Any idea why they're back? Potter's off with the Aurors, after all."

The voices were drawing nearer rapidly, and Rose back up against the Doctor, gesturing for him to move. He shook his head and tapped them both on the head with his wand, and Rose shivered as she felt a disillusionment spell run down her spine. He stepped closer, breathing into her ear, "Hold still." She froze as the witch and wizard turned the corner, still talking. She recognized them, vaguely—they were the Aurors that had escorted the Hogwarts Express from King's Cross to Hogsmeade.

The witch spoke, a frown furrowing her brow. "They might be after Granger. She was integral to Potter's victory, after all, and she's a Muggleborn."

The wizard scowled. "Seems a shame. She's a bright kid; she shouldn't have to put up with stuff like this."

Her voice sharpened. "She won't have to. We'll get this figured out before anyone gets near her. I've had enough of them seeing _children_ as acceptable targets."

He sighed as they continued down the corridor, turning a corner away from Rose and the Doctor. His voice carried back to them. "It's a bit late for that, Celeste."

Rose waited a few minutes, her heart still beating like a drum. With how closely she was pressed to the Doctor, she imagined he could almost feel it pounding against his front. He whispered a word into her ear and they blinked back into sight, both of their eyes wide.

He stepped back and ran a hand through his hair, and Rose tried not to feel the sudden chill of his absence. "Oh, this is not good. This is very, very not good."

Rose coughed lightly and tucked her hair behind her ears, willing down her flush. "Which part, exactly?"

"All of it. Wilf, my dad, he used to be an Auror before he started work as a guard at Azkaban. He never told me about it, but I woke him from enough nightmares to know exactly how cruel the Death Eaters could be."

Rose looked down. "Well, I know _that_."

The Doctor froze, his glasses sliding down his nose. "Rose, they didn't…?"

She shook her head quickly. "No. I've never faced 'em myself." She looked away, trying to ignore the portraits that were now paying close attention. "When I was a baby, though, they went after my dad, Pete, five on one." She swallowed. "He never stood a chance."

He winced. "Rose, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"'S okay. It was a long time ago." Rose cleared her throat. "An' now they're comin' after Hermione. I don't care what that Auror thinks, we've got to tell her."

"Yeah." He shook himself out of his reverie and glanced down at his watch, grimacing. "But first, maybe we should make an appearance before dinner is _completely_ over."

They slunk into the Great Hall, the Doctor heading off for the Slytherin table as Rose made her way over to the Gryffindors. Professor Smith was watching them from the Head Table, an eyebrow arched consideringly.

Donna snickered at her. "Well, well. Look what Captain Jack dragged in."

Rose flushed. "We just got really caught up in homework, is all."

"Yeah, I'm sure." Donna's smirk didn't seem like it was fading anytime soon, so Rose ducked her head and hurried through dinner. As they were leaving the table, she caught up to Hermione.

"Hey. Can I talk to you for a mo'?"

The older girl blinked at her and nodded. "Sure. What's going on?"

"Not here." She glanced at the students milling around them. "Is there somewhere more private we could talk?"

Hermione's eyebrows drew together. "Follow me." She led Rose down several hallways before spelling a door open, checking for watchers before leading her inside. The room was dim and dusty, and one of the walls had fallen in. She glanced around and settled herself on an overturned desk. "So, what is it?"

"Well, the Doctor and I weren't just late because of homework." Hermione raised an eyebrow, and Rose blushed and hurried on. "No, it wasn't anythin' like that. We were just on our way down for dinner when we heard some people talkin'—and, well, it'd be rude to interrupt, wouldn't it?" The older witch snorted at that, her brown eyes sparkling with amusement. Rose took a deep breath. "They were Aurors."

Hermione winced. "Oh, yes. Headmistress McGonagall wanted them to stay away from the students, so they wouldn't cause any panic. They're really not here because of any trouble, so you don't need to worry about that."

"But _you_ do."

Hermione paused. "What do you mean?"

"What they were talkin' about, it wasn't just patrolling the school. The witch—Celeste something—said she'd seen Death Eaters hanging around the school, an' she thought they might be after you." Rose faltered as Hermione paled, her jaw tightening spasmodically. "Just… thought you ought to know."

Hermione cleared her throat after a moment, a hard glint in her eyes. "Thanks for telling me. You might want to head on up to the common room, now."

"Sure, yeah." Rose paused on her way out the door, looking back at Hermione. "What are you going to do?"

Hermione twitched a perfunctory smile at her. "I'm going to go find Celeste Hopkins. Apparently we have quite a bit to talk about."

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

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The next afternoon Rose was nearly at the Fat Lady's portrait when it swung open and Donna strode out, grumbling to herself. "Honestly, that boy's head would fall off if it weren't attached to his neck."

"Donna? You okay?"

"Oh, I'm _fine._ There's nothing I like more than to be pulled out a conversation with David bloody Morgan, who I've fancied for _four years_, just because my idiot uncle can't be bothered to be careful about where he packed his books."

Rose blinked. "What happened?"

"He was _talking_ to me! And then this bloody key heats up and it turns out John needs his copy of _Memory Spells: the Practice and the Premise_, which he mistakenly packed in _my_ trunk." She was gesturing angrily, and Rose ducked away from the silver chain that was swinging from her hand.

"What is that?"

"What?" She calmed a little, and looked at her hand. "Oh, this!" She tucked it into her pocket quickly. "It's nothing." Rose raised a skeptical eyebrow, and Donna sighed. "Fine." She looked around the hallway and pulled her hand out of her pocket. Resting in her palm was a plain silver key, but as Rose watched a tiny script drifted over its surface.

She peered closer as they walked down the hallway. "That's amazin'!"

Donna's look of irritation faded a little, and she smiled proudly. "Yeah, it is rather good, isn't it? I showed the Doctor my DA coin a while back, and he wouldn't rest until he'd figured out a way to make somethin' like it for himself." She sighed. "I think he just wanted a way to communicate—it gets a bit lonely for 'im in Slytherin. Thankfully Koschei's stopped bothering him as much this year, the little wanker." She looked forlornly over her shoulder at Gryffindor tower. "I'm happy to help 'im out, but still. This is _David Morgan_ we're talkin' about."

"He's one of the Gryffindor Beaters, yeah?"

She nodded dreamily. "And blimey, does it show. He could probably bench-press me with one arm."

Rose wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, I guess. I've never liked the really bulky type, myself." Donna snickered, and she bit her lip. "I was just thinkin'—if you wanted to go back and talk to David Morgan some more, I could take the book for you. I was gonna meet up with the Doctor later anyways." Donna opened her mouth and Rose hurriedly added, "To work on homework."

At that, Donna laughed outright. "Somehow, I'm gettin' the impression all this studiousness is a new thing."

"Well, it's my O.W.L. year an' I haven't been at Hogwarts for three years. If that doesn't merit workin' hard, what does?"

"Right. _That's_ why you're so eager to run my errands for me." She shook her head, smiling, as Rose protested, and handed her the book. "Here you go. He'll be in the library, he said."

"'Kay." Donna turned and hurried back into Gryffindor Tower, and Rose bit her lip as she smiled down at the heavy, leather-bound book in her hands.

She found the Doctor in the alcove they'd been working in the day before and cleared her throat. He spoke without looking up. "Donna, is that you? Good. I've been working on this spell for _ages_, and I simply can't seem to get it to work—Oh." He blinked up at her. "You're not Donna."

"Nope. Hope ya don't mind."

"No, not at all!" He grinned. "Back for more history lessons?"

"Nah, I'm all caught up on that, thanks to you. Was thinkin' I'd work on some Defense homework, though. I like Professor Smith, but she's a bit hard."

The Doctor paused after he pulled out his books and looked into space. "I think my dad knows her. He's mentioned a Sarah Jane Smith before, and Professor McGonagall did hire her from the Aurors. Plus, she_ has _been watching me in class."

"Right. 'Course she's watchin' you, not, y'know, monitoring the class."

"I'm serious! She keeps an eye on me. Maybe she can't help it—animal attraction, you know." He waggled his eyebrows ridiculously at her.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Yeah, maybe like a ferret."

His jaw dropped. "A _ferret? _Rose Tyler, I'm insulted. If anything, I'm a... a fox. That's it. Foxy, that's me."

Rose snickered and bit her lip. "If you say so. Essay first, d'you think?"

"Sounds good to me."

ΘΣ

Rose leaned back and sighed, rolling up her piece of parchment. "Y'know, some days I wish they'd learn the wonders of a good spiral-bound notebook around here."

The Doctor glanced up at her and grinned . "Professor McGonagall probably wouldn't have a problem with it, but the parent's council would pitch a fit."

"God, they would. It's _so_ stupid." She sighed and pulled out her star charts. "Blimey, but I hate Astronomy. Turns out a flat in south London isn't the best place for star-gazing, so the year's barely started and I'm already well behind. There are just so many blasted constellations—I don't know how anyone keeps 'em straight. It's going to take forever to memorize them."

"Oh, no! Stars are _fascinating_. Wilf's been teaching me about them since I was a kid. Yeah, they're these enormous hunks of gas and fire, but that's not what makes them matter. There are so many stories written in the night sky, all just waiting to be read." He leaned back in his chair. "Can you even imagine how utterly _huge_ the universe is, Rose? You look at the night sky, and the same stars that tell the story of an ancient archer or a forbidden love are made up of light that's travelled thousands or even millions of years just for us to see. It's incredible."

She wrinkled her nose. "'S a bit scary, when you think about it. All that space out there, all that time, an' you're just the one person on one planet, livin' one little life."

"But that's what makes it so incredible, don't you see? No matter how enormous the universe is, no matter how many other worlds there are out there, you're the only one that will ever see it through _your_ eyes."

Rose chuckled a little breathlessly. "Blimey, is there anything you're not fascinated by?"

He paused and frowned thoughtfully. "Well, Donna tried to get me into EastEnders last summer. It didn't work." He paused, looking at her. "Actually, why don't we put the homework aside for a bit? There was a something I wanted to show you."

"All right."

He stuffed his books into his ever-present satchel before catching her hand and towing her out of the library, a wide grin on his face. She followed him through the long corridors and down twisting staircases, smiling the whole way. After the fourth time he paused to get his bearings, she spoke up. "So, what is it we're lookin' for?"

He waggled his eyebrows. "It's a surprise."

She smiled at him, widening her eyes. "Come on, you can tell me."

"Nope. And there's no need for you to flutter your eyelashes at me, I'm completely immune." She leaned into him, resting her chin on his shoulder and looking up at him through her eyelashes, and he made an odd squeaking noise. "Completely." He cleared his throat to bring his voice down from the alto range, his cheeks reddening. "Oh, look, here we are."

Rose looked around them and raised her eyebrows. They were standing outside the Hogwarts trophy room, the walls lined with plaques and photos.

The Doctor spoke carefully, watching her face. "Last night I was thinking about what you told me, about your dad." Her eyes snapped back to his face, and he smiled nervously down at her. "His name sounded familiar to me, but I couldn't think _why_. It came to me this morning, though." He tugged on her hand, leading her into a small corner. There was a small cabinet of trophies there, golden and silver Wizarding chess pieces about ten centimeters high, but above it was a wall of photos of different chess club champions, smiling and cheering into the camera.

A familiar face grinned out at her from a golden frame, his dark blue eyes sparkling. He waved at the camera, doing an improvised victory dance while his friends laughed. Rose raised a trembling hand, staring at him. She knew that face, though he was a bit younger than in most of the photos that were scattered through her mum's flat. "Oh, my god. That's… that's my dad."

The Doctor's voice was quiet, his eyes still on her face. "Peter Alan Tyler, Gryffindor champion of the Hogwarts Wizarding Chess club for four years running."

Rose gasped in a breath, tears streaking her makeup. She'd grown up with her Mum's pictures of her father, stories about him; but to see him like this, laughing and grinning… she turned to the Doctor and threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. His arms came up around her after a moment, and she felt him rest his chin on her hair. "Thank you."

She wouldn't swear to it, but she thought she felt him ghost his lips across her hair. "You're welcome, Rose Tyler."

ΘΣ


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

ΘΣ

Rose hurried into Defense Against the Dark Arts, her essay wrapped tightly in her hand. She checked her watch and breathed a sigh of relief—she wasn't late. _No thanks to the Doctor. I don't know why he thought I needed to see the statue of Patruchula the Unbearable right before class, the daft boy._ There was an open seat near the back, next to a tow-headed boy—Patrick, that was it. He was chatting with an Indian boy with wide almond-shaped eyes behind him—Rajesh Singh. Rose bit her lip. She _really_ had to do better about learning her housemates' names.

Rose smiled at Patrick. "Sorry, is this seat taken?"

He glanced at her, and his eyes narrowed. "Yeah, it is."

She blinked. "But the whole class is here."

"It's taken, all right? Now shove off."

There was a throat cleared behind them, and Rose turned to see Professor Smith standing there. She was watching Patrick with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, Mr. MacDonald. The seat_ is_ taken by a member of the class." She gestured at the bench. "Miss Tyler, if you would take your seat?"

Rose nodded and sat down, attempting to ignore Patrick and Rajesh's glares.

Professor Smith strode to the front of the class and began the lesson, and Rose pulled out her quill and parchment. She was opening her book when there was a soft _snap_, and she looked up to find her quill broken, the ink spilling over her bag. She stifled a soft curse and wrapped it in a tissue, grimacing as the ink bled through to stain her fingers.

"Are you paying attention, Miss Tyler?"

Rose glanced up hurriedly at Professor Smith, who had paused as she paced around the front of the room. "Just had a bit of a mishap, Professor Smith. I'm sorry, I'll have it cleaned up soon." Patrick was stifling laughter behind his hands, and Rebecca Fleming shot her a triumphant look.

Genevieve was facing the front, a slight smirk on her face. She hadn't spoken to Rose since their confrontation earlier in the month, but Rose had a feeling the side-long glances and whispers that followed her through her classes were thanks to her—moving out of the fifth-year dorm hadn't exactly endeared her to the other students in her year, and the fact that she was with the Doctor almost constantly when she was out of class didn't help either. Rose stuck the broken quill in a plastic bag and pulled out her ballpoint pen, struggling to catch up with Professor Smith's lesson.

ΘΣ

"Be sure to read Chapter 7 for class next week. Miss Tyler, if I could have a word?"

Rose looked up as she was packing her things, catching the smug look on Genevieve's face. She gritted her teeth and put her pen away, slinging her messy bag over her shoulder. Professor Smith was arranging her papers at the front, and she glanced up as Rose approached. The last of the students left and she leaned back against her desk, crossing her legs casually as she watched Rose.

"They're not giving you an easy time, are they?"

Rose blinked. "'M sorry?"

She smiled sadly. "The other Gryffindors. They don't seem to be all that fond of you."

Rose's jaw clenched. "Yeah, well, if they're going to be daft, that's their problem."

Professor Smith chuckled, her brown eyes sparkling. "Spoken like a true Gryffindor. You know that as your head of house, I'm here if you'd like someone to talk to?"

"I know, Professor. And thanks."

"You're quite welcome." She glanced over Rose's shoulder and her eyes widened for a split second before she smiled at Rose. "Now, I think you've got someone waiting for you."

Rose turned to see the Doctor lounging in the hallway, hands deep in his pockets. "That I do. Thanks again, Professor."

"Anytime, Miss Tyler."

Rose hurried out of the classroom to meet him, a wide smile growing on her face. "What're you doing here?"

"Well, this is your last class of the day, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but I thought you were in History of Magic."

He waggled his eyebrows at her. "I was, until a mysteriously well-timed smoke bomb distracted my classmates. Then I wasn't."

She laughed incredulously. "You did _what?_"

"Oi, I'm not saying I _did_ anything. I'm just laying out the facts, here."

"'Course you are." She shifted her bag, grinning, and he blinked and stared at it.

"Rose, I don't want to frighten you, but I think the Giant Squid may have attacked your bag."

"What? Oh, right." She grimaced. "It was just a mishap with a quill, that's all."

"Here, give it to me." She hesitated, and he rolled his eyes. "Oh, honestly, Rose, just hand it over." She scowled at him but did as he asked, and he smirked at her. "Thank you. _Tergeo._" The ink ran backwards into his wand, leaving the magenta bag in pristine condition. "There you go, good as new. Well, as good as a bag that violently pink can be."

"Oh, shut it. I like it, and this way nobody else'll mistake it for theirs."

He chuckled. "You're right about that." They'd wandered down the stairs to the main hall, and the Doctor spun to talk to her, walking backwards. "So, what happened?"

Rose pursed her lips. "I told you. My quill broke, that's all."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'd believe you, except for the bit where you stole one of my Everard's Everlasting Quills last month, and you've been using it ever since." She opened her mouth to apologize and he waved her off, spinning back around to walk beside her. "No, I don't mind—I've got plenty of 'em, Donna keeps giving me hers. She claims they don't 'feel right' or some such nonsense, though I'm pretty sure she just wants to keep asking David Morgan for spares. But the point stands that your quill shouldn't have broken." Rose looked away, and he reached out to turn her face gently back to his. "Rose, what's going on?"

She sighed, frustrated. "It's nothing, really. 'S just some of those idiots don't like that I hang out with you so much." He stilled, and she turned around to face him. "What'd you stop for?"

"They've been giving you trouble?"

She lifted her chin stubbornly. "Nothin' I can't handle."

"But—"

"Doctor, leave it. If they're goin' to be wankers about it, then they'll be wankers. I don't care. Now come on, let's find that traveling courtyard you were telling me about."

He smiled tightly at her as she took his hand. It didn't reach his eyes.

ΘΣ


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

ΘΣ

Rose woke early one November Saturday morning, stretching luxuriously before sitting up and pulling her bed curtains open. Donna was awake already, her nose buried in _Witch Weekly_. Rose grinned. "You know Hermione would flip if she saw you readin' that magazine, right?"

Donna raised an eyebrow. "Why d'you think I'm reading it now? She's in a meeting with the Heads of Houses."

Ginny poked her head out of her bed, her thick red hair tangled. "Ooh, which one is that? Clara told me about a hair spell I should try out." Donna held it up, and she yawned and flopped back down on her bed. "Bah, it must've been last week's. Not that I have all that much reason to experiment, anyway."

Donna set her magazine down, looking curious. "What d'you mean?"

Ginny sighed. "Harry was supposed to meet me in Hogsmeade today, but something came up." She scowled at the ceiling. "He's only a junior Auror, but the Ministry's been working him to the bone just to up their publicity."

Rose frowned. "Minister Shacklebolt doesn't seem like the type to do that."

"Oh, no, it's not Kingsley. He'd never do something like that." She grinned a little. "Not to mention he knows Mum would have his head if he tried to take advantage of Harry. It's Phineas Coleridge, the head of the Auror program, that's been doing it. The little turd seems to think that good press matters more than actually doing the work he was hired to do."

Donna laughed. "Gee, Ginny, tell us how you really feel."

The door opened and Hermione trudged in, her eyebrows furrowed. She paused as she passed Donna's bed, her mouth pursing in a moue of distaste. "_What_ are you reading?"

"The tale of the fluffy bunnies." Donna rolled her eyes. "What does it look like I'm reading?"

Ginny snickered a little as she got up and pulled out her clothes. "So what did the Heads of House want to talk about?"

Hermione sighed. "They want to host a celebrity Quidditch tournament to raise funds for the school repairs."

Rose pulled a warm jumper over her head and tugged her jeans on. "Sounds like a good idea."

Hermione flopped back onto her bed, pulling Crookshanks into her arms. "I'm not denying it's a good idea. It's just going to be awful to organize." She grimaced. "Professor Slughorn's absolutely panting to call in the Slug Club, but they want me to invite Victor Krum personally. It's why they invited me to the meeting."

Ginny shrugged as she brushed out her hair. "What's the problem? I thought you two still kept in touch."

Hermione groaned and laid her arm over her eyes, much to Crookshanks' annoyance. "We do, and I'd love to see him again. It's just every time I mention him, Ron gets all huffy."

Ginny winced. "You know it's because he loves you, right?"

Hermione sighed. "I know. It's just bloody _tiring_, you know? I chose to be with him, not Victor or anyone else. I wish he'd trust that." She checked the time and groaned, standing again. "We'd better get to breakfast before too long—the trip to Hogsmeade starts in half an hour."

Rose smiled to herself, and Donna caught her eye and snorted. "Let me guess, you and the Doctor have plans to be revoltingly cute together today."

Rose flushed. "No, we were just going to wander about some, that's all."

Donna sighed and grabbed her jacket. "Like I said." As Ginny and Hermione headed down, she moved closer to Rose and lowered her voice, her green eyes serious. "Just… try not to be too lovey-dovey around Martha, 'kay? She's been mad about the Doctor since we were kids, an' she's never really gotten over it."

Rose looked down, biting her lip. "I keep tellin' you, Donna, we're not like that." She swallowed heavily. _Not that I don't want us to be._

"Oh, please." When Rose looked up, Donna raised her eyebrows. "You're serious." She sighed and walked into the Great Hall, shaking her head. "Whatever you are or aren't, just try not to rub it in Martha's face, okay?"

Breakfast passed in a blur for Rose, and she was standing outside in the chilly November air before something—or rather, some_one_—caught her attention again.

"Earth to Rose Tyler. Come in, Commander Tyler." She blinked and looked up into the amused grin of the Doctor, his hands tucked into pockets. "There you are. I thought I was going to have to organize a search party for a bit there."

She smiled. "Oh? So you can get into my brain then, can you?"

He waggled his eyebrows. "That's for me to know and you to not find out." He offered her his hand and tugged her after him. "So, you still up for some exploring today? I was thinking Zonko's might be a bit fun." As they pulled away from the professors, he lowered his voice. "And there's always the Shrieking Shack."

Rose bit her lip. "I don't know, Doctor. People have actually died there." He stayed silent, and Rose's eyebrows drew together. "Doctor?"

He glanced around at the other students and slowed down until they were a good ways away from them. "I'm not so sure about that."

She frowned. "What do you mean? Hermione was there, she _saw_ Professor Snape die. She still has nightmares about it sometimes."

He ran a hand through his hair, frowning a little. "I know that's what _appeared_ to have happened, but think about it. His body was never found."

"The Ministry said they took it away so the Death Eaters couldn't come after it, especially after what happened to Dumbledore's tomb last year."

He snorted. "Oh yes, and we all know the Ministry has never lied."

Rose took her hand back and crossed her arms, frowning at him. "All right, then, what do _you_ think happened?"

His hand twitched towards her before he pulled it back, sticking it in his pocket. "I don't know! I just… I have to _look_, at least. He may not have won any congeniality contests, but he took care of his students, and we respected him."

They walked on in silence. Outside Zonko's Joke Shop, Rose sighed and tugged on his arm, pulling his hand out of his pocket so she could tangle it with hers. "Fine. Tell me how I can help, then."

He grinned down at her, glancing around for chaperones before leading her off towards the Shrieking Shack. "I've been working on a spell for a few months now, a variation of a memory spell. Have you ever heard of Pensieves?" Rose shook her head, and he nodded. "Right, well it's a high-level form of memory magic. Using a Pensieve, people are actually able to enter someone else's memory, to observe first-hand everything they saw. The spell I've been working on is a sort of reverse Pensieve. If I've done my calculations right, we should be able to enter a location—in this case, the Shrieking Shack—and see an echo of everything that happened there."

Rose's eyes widened. _"Everything? _Don't you think that'll take a while?"

"Oh, no—it should just be the events over the last year."

She snorted. "And that's s'posed to make me feel better?"

"Well, it'll be sped up, of course. Should only take… oh, a few hours."

She glanced at her watch and sighed a little. "So much for meeting Donna and Martha for lunch, then."

"Oh, we're missing that? Hmm. I hadn't realized." Rose raised an eyebrow at him, and he looked away hastily. "Now come on, let's go." He tapped them both on the head, Disillusioning them, and took Rose's hand, leading her up the barren rise to the Shrieking Shack.

The back door was open, hanging halfway off its hinges. Rose tightened her grip on the Doctor's hand, following him into the decrepit structure. Cool autumn sunlight spilled across the barren sitting room, reaching in through the broken slats in the windows. A fog of breath came from the empty air where the Doctor stood, and she shivered. "God, what an awful place to die."

"If he _did_ die." The Doctor muttered the counter-spell and they blinked into existence again. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of chalk, handing it to Rose. "Draw a border counter-clockwise around the windows and doorways, would you?"

"Sure." She went to work, occasionally glancing back at the Doctor. He had set up a small silver bowl in the center of the room and was burning incense in it, chanting under his breath. As she finished, the incense sparked suddenly and exploded into a puff of silvery-white smoke. The Doctor backed away, coughing, as the smoke rose and drifted around the room.

After a few minutes it began to coalesce into shimmering figures, flitting through the room at breakneck speed. Rose grabbed the Doctor's hand as Voldemort came into view, shooting through the room with Nagini behind him before he faded away. Other figures sailed through the room, and the minutes began to stretch into hours.

ΘΣ

Rose pulled her scarf tighter around her neck, rubbing her hands up and down her arms as she paced. The smoky apparitions had been passing through the room for more than an hour now, and the November chill had begun to feel like it was a part of her bones. The Doctor was standing as still as a statue, his eyes darting about to catch each of the visions.

There had been an uptick in the figures in the last few minutes, Death Eaters that flickered in and out of view. Voldemort blinked into place by the back window, Nagini writhing around him. A tall figure in stark robes joined him there, and Rose stepped forward and grabbed the Doctor's hand. The two wizards spoke, the deadly argument passing by in the space of a deep breath. Nagini struck, and as Voldemort left three figures popped into view—Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione. They disappeared moments later and Snape continued to lay on the ground, staring lifelessly at the ceiling.

The Doctor's hand clenched on Rose's, and she gasped at a sight she'd thought she'd never see again: Fawkes flew in through the window, landing on Snape's shoulder. As the phoenix wept into his wound, Snape began to stir. He stumbled upwards, Fawkes clinging to him, and staggered out of the room.

The Doctor raised his wand. "_Conspicio terminus_." His eyes were wide, and his skin pale. He stared down at Rose.

She grinned brilliantly up at him. "You did it!"

"I did." He laughed suddenly. "I did! Rose, it worked!" He pulled her into his arms, spinning her around as they laughed.

"That it did." They spun at the unknown voice, the Doctor releasing Rose to shove her behind him. A woman in dusty black robes stood in the doorway, her light eyes narrowed at them. "So the blood traitor survived, even if Our Lord did not." She watched the Doctor carefully. "You show potential, boy. None of my brethren could find what had happened here."

"Yeah, well, bully for me." He stepped more fully in front of Rose, his arms spread wide. "Quite a few things your brethren couldn't do, weren't there?"

"They are mired in their anger and grief, with no thought for what Our Lord would want. But we who knew Him best, we know His lineage shall continue." She raised her wand, the tip glowing an angry orange. "Step away from the Mudblood, boy."

His jaw tightened. _"Not_ going to happen._"_

A small smile tilted her lips, but her eyes remained cold. "Pity. On your head be it." As she raised her arm, a long ebony wand materialized behind her. With a flare of purple light, the Death Eater dropped bonelessly to the ground.

The Doctor's jaw dropped as their rescuer was revealed. _"Professor?"_

ΘΣ

_Conspicio terminus_: roughly, to end sight or understanding


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

ΘΣ

Severus Snape stood in the doorway, his hair pulled back into a ponytail. Heavy scarring marred the side of his neck, and he raised an eyebrow at the Doctor and Rose. His voice was a gravelly rasp when he spoke. "Mr. Mott. Why does this not surprise me?"

The Doctor grinned. "Because you saw what happened to Lord Septimus' portrait my third year?"

Snape snorted. "That wasn't something to brag about, boy."

"Of course not, sir." There was a lingering grin in the Doctor's voice, and Snape seemed to hear it. He scowled at them as Rose stepped next to the Doctor, watching their old professor curiously.

"You do realize I'll have to do some heavy memory modification, thanks to your little spell." He glanced around the room, taking in the silvery chalk around the doors and windows and the heavy scent of incense in the air. "What did you use, anyway?"

"_Specto preteritus_, sir."

His eyebrows winged upwards. "I don't believe I've heard of it."

The Doctor rocked forward, his hands going into his pockets. He was practically beaming. "That's because I created it, sir."

Snape frowned. "You're telling me you decided to test an unknown spell in an area with this much built-up magical residue?"

"Ah." The Doctor paused, tugging on his earlobe. "Yes?"

"An' he did a bang-up job, too." Rose raised her chin, her eyes still on Snape. "It worked perfectly."

Snape's jaw tightened. "It may have, but it was still an asinine thing to do."

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Sir?"

"Yes, Mr. Mott?"

"What are the Death Eaters doing around Hogwarts?"

Snape snorted. "Why ask me? Potter couldn't have blown my cover more effectively if he'd tried, the little cretin."

Rose frowned. "Well, he _did_ think you were dead. We all did."

"You were meant to." There was a groan from the corner, and they turned to the Death Eater.

Snape flicked his wand at her and long ropes leapt into existence, binding themselves around her wrists and ankles. He strode over and picked up her wand, tucking it in his pocket. She opened her eyes, and he raised an eyebrow. "Drusilla Marbury. I can't say this is a pleasure."

She spat at him, but he shifted out of the way before it could hit. She growled, "I could say the same of you, blood traitor."

He simply raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

Her mouth curled back in a feral snarl. "There is _nothing_ you could do that would make me tell you, you son of a Muggle-loving whore."

Snape's jaw tightened. "That was unwise, madam, as well as untrue." A small, frosty smile tilted his mouth as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a gleaming crystal vial. Drusilla clenched her jaw and he flicked his wand, rasping out, "_Accio antidote._" There was an odd noise somewhere between a squelch and a crunch, and blood flecked her lips as her tooth flew out of her mouth and into his palm. He raised an eyebrow as she howled in pain. "You forget that I was once a Death Eater." He dropped her tooth and stomped on it, leaving a mess of blood and a steaming, thick green potion on the floor as it shattered.

Rose shuddered and turned into the Doctor's shoulder as Snape forced the Veritaserum down Drusilla's throat. He crossed his arms, letting his wand tap his shoulder as a constant reminder. "Now. What are the Death Eaters doing at Hogwarts?" She bit her tongue, and he flicked his wand again. "Oh, no you don't."

Her mouth opened, blood dripping from her lips. Her eyes were narrowed in fury. "We search for the heir. Our Lord's line must continue."

Snape frowned. "The heir? What are you talking about?"

She laughed suddenly, harshly. "You never knew. Oh, Our Lord was clever. He didn't trust you, but we, we He honored. We hold the birthright for His future."

Snape's black eyes narrowed. "Who is we?"

"We loyal few, waiting in the dark. You were never one of us. No, you kept your job, your life. You gave Him nothing, but we gave it all."

He stood and paced for a minute, his hands clenched together behind his back. When he turned to her again, his jaw tightening. "What heir?"

Drusilla's mouth opened again, but the only noise that came out was a strangled gasp. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped against the wall, blood dribbling out of her mouth in a slow, steady trickle. He checked her pulse and straightened, his hands clenching compulsively. "Her mind was entrapped. I should've known."

The Doctor shifted, and a loud creak brought Snape's attention back to them. He sighed and lifted his wand. "And yet more loose ends." The Doctor had wrapped his arm around Rose's shoulders, and he tightened his grip as Snape turned to face them again. A flash of emotion flickered over his pale face, something that almost looked like regret. "For the record, Mr. Mott, Miss Tyler, I _am_ impressed. Only spells of the highest level would have caused my wards to alert me."

The Doctor grabbed Rose's hand as Snape gestured with his wand, sketching an odd, circular symbol on her palm as the older wizard snapped out, "_Obliviate._" She could feel the spell wending its way through her mind, but an odd golden glow shielded her memories from its reach. In the shack, she heard him speak once more—"_Dormiens_"—before everything faded to black.

ΘΣ

Rose woke slowly, shivering in the cool air. There was a groan to her right and she looked over to see the Doctor pushing himself up off the gritty floor. He offered her a hand and she pulled herself up, her teeth chattering. He wrapped her in his arms, his cloudy breath winding around her.

She cleared her throat, leaning into his chest. "So Snape's alive, and the Death Eater's gone."

He tightened his arms around her, a smug smile in his voice. "It would seem so."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, if you're going to be like that—you were right. Happy now?"

"Yes, very much."

After a moment, she spoke again. "Doctor?"

"Yes, Rose?"

"What was that symbol you traced on my palm? Why can I remember what happened?"

He shrugged, his arms shifting around her. "It's an old spell Wilf taught me. He said the Aurors used to use it to protect themselves against mind magic." He snickered. "You might say it's _handy_ to know."

She groaned. "That was terrible."

He glanced at his watch over her shoulder and blanched at the time. "Oh, Merlin. We'll have to run to get back before they leave."

She pulled back and tightened her scarf around her throat, grinning at him. "Well, a bit of running never hurt anyone."

They barely got back to Hogsmeade in time, arriving panting and laughing at the meet-up point. Professor Sprout clucked disapprovingly at them, but her eyes were smiling. Martha's, on the other hand, were icy. Donna sighed and shook her head. "So where were you two all day?"

"We were in Hogsmeade, weren't we, Rose?" The Doctor elbowed her lightly, and she swatted his arm.

"We were just explorin', like I told you."

Donna raised an eyebrow. "And _where_ were you doing this exploring?"

Rose glanced at the chaperones herding them together, and lowered her voice. "Later, yeah? I can't really talk about it now."

The Doctor glanced down at her, frowning, and she rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, not that."

Martha pursed her lips. "Oh, look, there's Nidia. I'll just go catch up. Later, Donna." She hurried off and Donna elbowed the Doctor in the side, considerably harder than he'd elbowed Rose.

His breath puffed out of him in an odd grunt, and he frowned at her. "What was _that_ for?"

"Look, I know you don't like Martha like that, but maybe try bein' a bit nicer about it, yeah?"

He blinked, his brown eyes wide and guileless. "What do you mean?"

She snorted. "Oh, don't play that with me, space boy. I've known you since you were three months old, an' there's no way I'll actually buy that innocent act."

He scowled and tucked his hands in his pockets, hunching his shoulders. "Is it my fault she can't take a hint?"

"No, but it _is_ your fault if you don't treat her like the friend she is." The Doctor ducked his head and Rose cleared her throat awkwardly, playing with the end of her scarf. Donna sighed. "So, what were you two doing all afternoon, anyway?"

He brightened. "You know that spell I've been working on?"

"Which one?"

"The memory one." He grinned, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Rose and I tried it out, and it worked."

She raised an eyebrow. "Wait, Rose helped you? I thought you weren't going to work with other people anymore after that time you turned Leo into a newt."

The Doctor flushed. "He got better!"

Rose grinned. "Wait, what happened?"

Donna opened her mouth, and the Doctor interrupted. "Nothing. Not a thing happened, it was completely lacking in things."

She rolled her eyes. "So, later, then?"

Donna smirked. "Sounds good to me."

The Doctor scowled. "Donna!"

"What? If you're going to be an arse, I get to laugh about it afterward. It's quite simple, really."

"Always a good plan." Rose frowned. The light male voice was unfamiliar, but both the Doctor and Donna had stiffened. She turned and found herself looking at the trim brunette Slytherin she'd noticed the night of the Welcoming Feast. He smiled at her, something hard and calculating in his eyes. "I don't believe you've introduced me to your latest _friend_, Doctor. Not that I can blame you, really—you do seem to go through them awfully fast. It must get tiring after a while." He held out a hand to Rose, and she took it nervously. "Koschei Rosier."

"Rose Tyler." She took her hand back quickly, tucking her hands deep into her pockets.

The Doctor stepped closer to Rose, glaring at the other boy. "What do you want, Koschei?"

"Want? Who says I want anything?" He rested a hand on his chest theatrically. "Honestly, Doctor, your lack of trust hurts."

His jaw tightened. "Don't call me that."

"What? 'Doctor'?" Koschei shook his head, tutting. "But all your little groupies get to call you that."

Rose raised an eyebrow, her eyes sparkling merrily. "So you consider yourself his groupie, do you?"

Donna sorted before bursting into laughter, and even the Doctor grinned. Koschei, on the other hand, looked furious. His eyes narrowed dangerously before he calmed himself, a mask of smooth courtesy slipping back into place. He smiled ingratiatingly at her and Rose pulled her shoulders together, feeling the sudden need for a shower. A corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk, and he gave her a slight bow. "Well. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better, Rose."

"It's Miss Tyler, and I can't say the same for you." She looked up at the Doctor, giving him a tongue-touched grin. "Race you to the castle?"

His answering smile was wide, but his eyes were still dark with worry. "You're on." They tore off together, shooting past the other students. Koschei raised an eyebrow as he looked at Donna and she snorted.

"Don't look at me. I'm not runnin' off." She straightened her bag on her shoulder, and he scowled as he dropped back to join his fellow Slytherins.

ΘΣ

_Specto preteritus_: roughly, to look at the past.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

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Rose shifted down the staircase, biting her lip. The prefects had swept this floor half an hour ago, but there was no telling when the teachers might be about—sneaking out of Gryffindor tower after curfew had been tricky enough (especially since she was rooming with the Head Girl), but getting down to the dungeons without being caught would take careful planning. There was a scuffing noise at the end of the hallway and Rose ducked behind a nearby statue of a rotund witch, holding her breath. Professor Slughorn wandered past, yawning into his sleeve as he glanced around perfunctorily. She waited for his footsteps to die down before hurrying off down towards the dungeons.

The Doctor had told her to meet him there last night, and she couldn't wait. It had become her favorite tradition of theirs, sneaking around the closed-off parts of the castle after everyone else had gone to sleep. There was only a week left until Christmas break, and they were attempting to fit as much exploring in as they could before they each went home. She dashed across the Entrance Hall and slipped down the chill passageway to the dungeons, pulling the long sleeves of her fleece jumper further over her hands.

A hand reached out of the darkness, settling with familiar weight on her shoulder, and she ducked and spun as she leveled her wand at the stranger's nose. The Doctor grinned at her, his dark eyes sparkling in amusement. "Blimey, remind me not to come across you in a dark alley."

She lowered her wand and smacked his shoulder, pursing her lips. "Don't _do_ that to me!"

"What, surprise you?" He sighed dramatically and stuck his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels. A leather satchel was slung across his chest. "Well, I guess you should toddle off to bed, then. Shame. I had such marvelous plans for tonight."

Rose rolled her eyes. "You know that's not what I meant."

He raised his eyebrows, his eyes dancing mischievously. "Oh, so I _am_ allowed to surprise you?" She gave him a look dripping with scorn, and he snickered and laced his fingers with hers. "All right, fine. Somebody's impatient tonight."

She sighed and followed him along the corridor, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked. He was so skinny, nothing like the familiar solidity of Mickey's frame. She found she liked it, though. It was like his body had been compressed to its most basic form, the outsized personality and galloping intellect somehow condensed into long limbs and a surprising grace.

He glanced down at her as they wandered down corridor after corridor, the flickering light of the torches dancing across her hair. He cleared his throat. "Penny for your thoughts?"

She shook her head a little and blinked, a slight blush on her cheeks. "Oh, nothin'."

He snorted. "You're forgetting I know you, Rose Tyler. Come on, then. What thoughts are buzzing around in that busy little mind of yours?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You're askin' for a smack on that busy little mouth of yours."

"Ah. Yes, I can see how that may not have come out quite right."

"'May not have'?"

"All right, did not." He bumped her shoulder with his arm, rubbing absent-minded circles on the back of her hand. "Sorry."

"'S okay. I'm used to it." She grinned, her tongue playing between her teeth as she watched the Doctor flush and protest. She sighed and rested her head against his shoulder again. "I'm just going to miss this. Exploring with you, I love it."

He smiled softly down at her. "Me too." He grinned and pulled her along, tugging her down a long, dim stone passageway to a small wooden door. "This is it, Rose Tyler. Prepare to be amazed."

"Right, 'cause that doesn't make for unrealistic expectations at all."

He paused as he was pulling at the door, the old wood swollen in the frame. "Unrealistic? Rose Tyler, when have I not exceeded your expectations?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Well, the modern art portraits you showed me last month were a bit naff. I couldn't even understand what they were sayin', never mind why that one bloke's eye was leaking hippos."

The Doctor flushed a little, yanking heavily on the door. "Yes, well. There's a reason Surrealism never really took off in the Wizarding World." With a tooth-rattling shriek the door swung open, sending the Doctor flying against the wall. He impacted with a surprised grunt, and Rose was beside him in moments.

"Oh, god, are you okay?"

"Fine, just peachy." He paused as he sat up, frowning into the air. "Remind me not to say that again."

"Don't say that again."

He rolled his eyes and lurched to his feet, checking his bag carefully before sighing in apparent relief. "Oh, you're _so _helpful."

Rose grinned mischievously, even thought she was still watching him carefully. "I aim to please."

The Doctor gave her an unflatteringly startled look, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Since _when_?"

She smacked him on the shoulder. "Shut up. You sure you're all right?"

"Rose, I'm _fine._ Now come on, I didn't bring you down here to fuss over me."

"Really? 'Cause you've been runnin' into things an awful lot lately." She tossed her hair, grinning at him. "I'm onto your little scheme."

He rested a hand on his chest. "Oh no, whatever shall I do? You've seen through my cunning plan. But really though, come with me." She moved to follow him into the room, still grinning a little, and he stood stock still. "Wait! I've an even better idea. Rose, do you trust me?"

The grin faded. "You know what'll make a girl nervous? Askin' if she trusts you."

"Rose, I'm serious."

She swallowed, watching the light from the torches flicker over his pale, freckled skin and wide brown eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

"Perfect." He grabbed his tie and pulled it out of his jumper, and Rose's eyebrows climbed. Moments later he had it off and around Rose's eyes, and she frowned.

"Doctor, what the—"

"Shh." A cool finger rested against her lips, and Rose couldn't help but brush her tongue over her lips. There was a quiet gasp from somewhere in front of her, and the Doctor exploded into nervous babble. "Right! Well, I was exploring one night a couple years ago when I ran across this place. It took a while to find out what I could do with it—the library wasn't all that useful—but I found a book that should help a few days before I left. Wasn't much good while I was at home, though—I wasn't even sure it had survived the Battle until a couple weeks ago."

Rose huffed a little, reaching out for his hand. He wrapped it around hers immediately, and some of her nerves faded. "Blimey, Doctor, d'you ever do anything but explore? You've got to sleep sometime."

His grip tightened as his voice went cold. "No, I don't."

"Doctor?" Rose frowned and reached up to tug away the blindfold, but his other hand caught hers and stopped her.

His voice was warm and amused again, the cold tone from earlier faded away like a half-remembered dream. "Ah ah ah, Rose. No spoiling the surprise."

"Well, get _on_ with it, then."

He chuckled, the soft puff of air brushing against her cheek. "So impatient, really." She opened her mouth, and he again laid a finger against her lips. "All right, all right." He tugged on her hand, and Rose blinked into the heavy silk of his tie as they moved from the damp chill of the dungeon passageway to a warm, dry chamber. Her trainers scuffed against what felt like wooden floorboards, and Rose cocked her head to catch any clues through her ears. It was useless, though. Wherever they were, the silence sat heavy as a blanket on the room, interrupted only by their soft breathing.

The Doctor squeezed her hand. "I'm going to leave you right here, okay Rose? I'll be right back. And _don't _take off the blindfold." Rose swallowed hard as he stepped away, tangling her hands together. The tie was still tight around her head, blocking out all light as she waited. There was a muffled curse from the Doctor, the sound nearly swallowed by the rustle of his bag. "Ha! Here it is." There was a dry sound of paper rustling, and the Doctor cleared his throat. "_Canto accendo spiritus._" The distinct pulse of magic vibrated through the air, and he began to hum. Awkward at first, then drifting into something complex and beautiful—

Wait.

That wasn't the Doctor.

Rose reached up and yanked off his tie, blinking into the sudden light. They stood in the center of a small, circular room, the Doctor paused beside a tall, polished wooden harp. A serene face was carved into the pillar, its eyes closed in joy as it sang along. The Doctor had stopped humming when Rose pulled the blindfold off, and he ran a hand through his hair. "Rose! It wasn't all ready yet." She ignored him and turned slowly, staring around the small room. Musical instruments of every description lined the room, from an intricately etched violin perched against a heavy cello to a small set of panpipes piled next to a full set of bells. She spun to face him again, his frustration gone and replaced by a soft, expectant joy.

"Doctor, 's _beautiful!_"

He grinned and bounced on the balls of his feet, his wand flicking out towards the other instruments like a mad conductor. "You haven't even seen the best part." He stepped up next to her as a painted djembe drum began to thump out a steady rhythm in counterpoint to the harp's song, followed by the distinctive twang of an oud and the rippling notes of a dulcimer. A bagpipe began to play as the harp continued to sing, its ethereal song the centerpiece of an invisible orchestra. The bells were chiming behind them now, and Rose laughed as she spun to look at them.

She looked up at him, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed with delight. "What is this place?"

He straightened, her happiness puffing out his chest. If he was any prouder, he'd probably start strutting like a peacock. "This, Rose, is the island of misfit toys. Or musical instruments, if you want to be literal about it. Self-aware instruments aren't much good for music classes, so any ensorcelled ones that get donated to Hogwarts tend to end up here." His eyes flickered over the varied instruments, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Can you imagine the level of spellwork it must've taken to teach them all to respond to one spell? It's incredible."

Rose nodded, taking in all of the instruments. After a while, she turned to him and cocked her head. "You said you'd found a book that told you about this place. What was it?"

He flushed and tugged on his ear. "Well, I'm technically not supposed to have it." He pulled out an old, battered volume, the pages fragile and the gold lettering nearly faded away completely—Rose could barely make out the title: _Hogwarts: A History_. "It's been omitted from all the recent editions, so I had to find an older copy." He glanced around and lowered his voice. "This one's from Professor Slughorn's personal collection."

Rose laughed, and after a moment the Doctor joined her. "What, you just nicked it?"

"Oi!_ Borrowed!_ I'll get it back to him. Eventually." He ran a hand through his hair again, blushing. "It's his own fault, really. If he'd been paying attention instead of going on and on about his Slug Club, I never would've gotten away with it."

"Entirely his fault, then."

He grinned, his eyes dancing. "Entirely." He reached out and tangled his hand with hers as they stood there, the music washing over them in waves.

ΘΣ


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

ΘΣ

Rose blinked and raised her head from the Doctor's shoulder as the harp's haunting voice quieted. The other instruments had already stilled, and she realized she had no idea what time it was. She and the Doctor had ended up sitting on the floor, resting against each other as they listened, and her bum was beginning to go numb. She yawned suddenly, and the noise broke the contemplative silence.

The Doctor jumped up. "Blimey, I wasn't thinking—you must be exhausted!"

She blinked sleepily up at him, allowing him to pull her to his feet. She ran a hand over her hair as he swung his bag loosely over one shoulder. "What about you? 'S just as late."

Was it her imagination, or did he tense at that? "I don't sleep much." He smiled abruptly at her, but it didn't reach his dark eyes. "Besides, you don't need to worry about me. Let's get you back to bed, yeah?"

And there it was, the smiling armor he put on anytime he got uncomfortable. Rose lo—_cared_ about him, she really did, but sometimes he nearly drove her mad. "Doctor, are you all right?"

"Me? I'm always all right." He reached out and grabbed her hand as they left. "Now come on, time for all the sleepy Gryffindors to go to bed."

"You sure it's not time for all the condescending Slytherins to get a smack?"

He snorted as he shut the door behind them, and Rose shivered in the dungeon chill. "If you tried that, Rose, your hand would go numb before you even got halfway through my house."

"So rude, Doctor, and about your own house! For shame." Rose and the Doctor spun at the other voice, the Doctor stepping in front of her. Rose gave him an exasperated glance and stood next to him, peering into the shadows. There was a flare as the torches roared back to life, and as they blinked into the light. Rose made out Koschei leaning against the crumbling wall, his arms crossed casually.

The Doctor actually growled. "What do you want?"

"Oh, the normal things. Success, respect, happiness."

The Doctor's jaw tightened. "You wouldn't know happiness if it bit you on the arse."

Koschei raised a hand dramatically to his chest. "Why, Doctor! How rude. Of course, that's you, isn't it? Rude and not ginger, nothing like that prattling niece of yours. Of course, it's not like you would be—after all, she's not _really _your family." He sighed mockingly. "It must drive you mad, knowing you don't belong anywhere."

"Stop it." Koschei blinked and turned back to Rose, who was glaring daggers at him. "Donna _is_ his family. With how annoyed they get at each other, they couldn't be anything else. And you, you with your pathetic, regimented idea of what family is, that the only thing that matters is how pure your blood is—of _course_ you can't see it. Family isn't just flesh and blood, it's the people that will care about you no matter what, just because you're you." Her hand tightened around the Doctor's. "He's surrounded by family, and you're all alone." She leaned forward to glare into his eyes. "Tell me, Mr. Rosier, how do your mum and dad like Azkaban?"

Pure hatred contorted Koschei's face for a moment, but he smoothed it over in the time it took her to blink. He smirked at the Doctor. "Quite the mouth on this one, Doctor. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised—after all, you have always used others instead of dirtying your own hands."

The Doctor straightened, his grip tightening on Rose's. "You're one to talk, Koschei. I know what you did last year, how many people you hurt. Yet here you are."

Koschei laughed delightedly. "Oh, did Martha talk? Silly me, of course she would. Sometimes I could barely get her to shut up. All that moaning and groaning—but then again, I suppose that is what you do when there's a spell digging into your flesh."

The Doctor whipped out his wand, his eyes flashing dangerously as he roared a spell. Koschei spun out of the way easily, slipping behind the wall and away.

Rose grabbed the Doctor's hand before he could pursue him. "Doctor, wait. He's not worth it."

There was a slight _pop_ from the air next to them and they spun to see a waist-high, wide-eyed house-elf glaring at them. She grabbed the Doctor's bag and yanked, vanishing with it and a wide, malicious grin.

The Doctor cried out, and Koschei's voice rang through the air, artificially enhanced to echo through the passageway. "Oh, what shall I find in here?" There was a slight rustle, and then a pause. The Doctor was looking around wildly, his eyes darting all around the half-collapsed stonework. Laughter rolled over them, seeming to come from every direction. The Doctor closed his eyes. "Oh, how _sweet! _The Doctor wants to find his family! So much for that little speech of yours, Rosie."

"_Don't_ call me Rosie!"

"You might want to get a handle on that temper of yours, Rosie. Of course, the Doctor knows all about getting a_ handle_ on you, doesn't he?"

She flushed angrily. "Stop it! We're not like that."

There was another _pop_ and Koschei appeared in front of them, the house elf from earlier gripping tightly to his hand. Rose leveled her wand at him but he ignored her, instead rustling the papers from the Doctor's bag in front of him. "This looks like it took a lot of work, Doctor. If it weren't so pathetic, I'd almost be impressed."

The Doctor's jaw twitched. "Give that back to me."

"Why would I do that? This is ever so much more fun." He vanished as Rose and the Doctor shot spells at him, his laughed stilling eerily as he disappeared. The force of their combined spells hit the crumbling wall, and Rose gasped and shoved the Doctor out of the way as it toppled over with a resounding crash. The heavy, cold stone landed on her legs, and the pain roared through her veins like fire. The Doctor's shout nearly eclipsed her own, mingling with the heavy grind of the falling walls.

The rubble settled, the dust drifting down to blanket their bodies. The Doctor stared at her, his eyes wide. He'd escaped any hurt, though if she hadn't pushed him out of the way…

"Oh, god, Rose, hold on." He fished his wand out of the rubble and closed his eyes, grimacing in concentration. After a moment a weak Patronus shimmered out of the end of his wand, a flickering silver wolf. "Donna, wake up. Rose's been hurt. We're in the dungeons, past the statue of Thelonius Harwood—the walls fell in." He gasped in a ragged breath. "For god's sake, _hurry_." It bounded through the walls, and he turned to her. "Rose? Rose, please, are you all right?"

She cracked her eyes open, fighting off the waves of pain that were crashing through her body. "_That's_ the question you're gonna ask? Does it bloody _look _like I'm all right?"

He stared, pale and wild-eyed, at the crimson that was staining her jeans. "You're right, stupid question." Rose panted a little and pushed herself up, and he grabbed her shoulder. "No no no, don't move! We've got to keep pressure on the wounds—if you shift you could end up bleeding out. Oh, god."

Rose laughed weakly, though it petered out into a cough. "Well, then, looks like waiting it is."

"Yeah."

She reached over and took his hand, closing her eyes as even that small shift sent red-hot pain roaring through her. "Doctor? Talk to me. What was that paper about?"

His fingers tightened around hers, and he stared down at their clasped hands. "That's what you want to talk about?"

"Would you rather discuss the _searing pain?_"

"Right, sorry." He ran a hand through his hair distractedly, leaving a crimson smear on his temple. Rose closed her eyes and firmly told her stomach to calm down_._ He swallowed, staring down at their hands. "It's a project I've been working on, like that memory spell we did in the Shrieking Shack. It's taken a bit longer than that one, because… well. I don't really want my family to know about it." His eyes flew up to hers. "Don't tell Donna?"

She frowned, her eyebrows pulling together. "'Course I won't, not if you don't want me to."

"It's… it's a bit like a magical DNA test. I love Dad and Donna, I do. Even Sylvia. I wouldn't be me without them. But that's not all there is to family." He looked down and shut his eyes, and Rose watched his Adam's apple bob helplessly. "I just want to know where I come from."

Rose squeezed his hand, her breath catching. "You'll figure it out, I know you will."

He barked out a laugh, then coughed in the dusty air. "How can I? That was _months_ of planning, of hiding every scrap of research from Dad and Donna, and let me tell you—she just _knows_ when you've got something you're hiding. She's like a bloodhound when it comes to secrets. And it was all for nothing. Koschei's got it, and he sure as hell won't let me get my hands on it ever again." He let out a heavy breath. "What if he tells Donna?"

"She'll understand, Doctor."

"Yeah?" He looked away from Rose as his grip on her hand loosened, but thankfully he didn't pull away. His voice softened as he spoke, the nerves from before fading to tired monotone. "After her father died, Dad and I moved in with her mum and her. Mum—Wilf's wife, Lillian—she'd passed away a few years before, so Dad was glad to get out of the house. Dunno how happy Sylvia was to have us, though. She's a Squib, but even though Geoffrey wasn't a strong wizard, he'd gone to Hogwarts and graduated with good grades. He was so proud of Donna when she got her acceptance letter, of her and of me. When he got sick, though, St. Mungo's couldn't do anything for him. They could change somebody back from a statue of living wood, but they couldn't stop the cancer. Sylvia's never forgotten that. She hates the sight of magic now, can't stand it, and Donna's always been a powerful witch. So how d'you think Donna will feel when she finds out she's not family enough for me, when her own mum can barely bring herself to look at her some days?"

Rose reached up to cup his cheek, wincing when she accidentally brushed a long scratch on his jaw. "It'll be all right."

His only response was a bittersweet smile, and the silence enveloped them.

ΘΣ

"Rose? Rose, wake up! Stay with me!"

Rose reluctantly pulled her eyes open, wincing as dust flicked into her lashes. "Wha'sit?" The Doctor was leaning over her, his hand tight around hers. _He's pale—he's too pale._ "Wha's wrong?"

"You can't fall asleep, do you hear me, Rose? I need you to stay with me. You can do it, Rose."

Her eyes slid shut again. Her legs felt like they were on fire, like every nerve from her thighs down was inflamed. She could feel the black beckoning to her, offering to wrap all of her pain up in comforting emptiness. "'m tired."

"I know you're tired, Rose, but you need to stay awake."

A sound came from the rubble beside them and the Doctor spun to face the wall, bracing himself between Rose and whoever was out there. There was a rumble of stones shifting before a hole appeared, and a familiar head of coppery hair poked its way through. "There you are!" She pulled back out, and her voice echoed oddly through the stifling dust. "Hermione, we've found 'em! They're in here."

The walls folded outwards, the fallen stones floating out of the way to gradually reveal their rescuers. Ginny and Hermione were working in tandem to shift the stones, and as soon as a path was cleared Donna darted through to them. She checked over the Doctor carefully before turning to Rose, and her hand flew up to her mouth. "Oh, _Merlin_."

Hermione had finished moving the stones and she quickly knelt next to Rose, gently touching what she could reach of her legs. "Rose, can you still feel this?"

Rose gasped out a ragged laugh. "I can feel too much."

The older girl smiled grimly. "I know it doesn't feel like it, but that's actually a good sign. I'm going to put you under a stasis spell, is that all right?"

"Sure, fine." Rose closed her eyes as Hermione muttered the incantation, and within moments she was in a deep sleep, her body sealed off from the world.

The Doctor had knelt on Rose's other side, and he gently brushed her hair out of her face. "I didn't want to move the stones—I wasn't sure when anyone would get here, and I didn't want her to bleed out."

Hermione nodded briskly, pulling out her wand. "You did the right thing. You might want to back up a little, this could get messy."

"No, I'm staying here."

Donna exploded. "You blithering_ idiot_! What did you think you were doing, running around down here? You _know _how dangerous it is, and yet you two went traipsing off through the rubble when decent people should be asleep! Now _back off_ and let her help! Don't you think you've done enough?"

He paled and stood, his movements stilted and awkward. "No, I..."

"_Shut it_. Now we've got to get her to the Hospital Wing, and I don't think Rose being carted in by a Slytherin boy after hours would do her much good."

He flinched as if he'd been struck before looking away. "You're right." He breathed out heavily and tucked his wand in his sleeve, his eyes tracing over Rose's face. "I'll just be off, then."

Ginny reached out and touched his shoulder before he could go. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, I'm always all right." With one last look at Rose, he left.

Ginny leveled a glare at Donna, who glared right back. "Don't you think you're being a bit harsh?"

"That complete and utter _moron_ nearly got himself killed, and look at what's happened to Rose! What am I supposed to do, pat him on the back?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, but maybe you shouldn't be so hard on him. His Patronus sounded utterly terrified."

Donna set her jaw as she helped Hermione move the heavy rocks away from Rose's legs, wincing at the bloodstained trousers and shards of ivory-colored bone that pierced her mangled flesh. "Yeah, for good reason. We've got to get her to Madam Pomfrey."

Ginny glanced down the hallway and sighed, pulling out her wand to help them move Rose. It would be a long walk up to the Hospital Wing.

ΘΣ


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

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Rose stared out the window of the Hospital Wing, eyes far from the drifting snow. She'd been confined to her bed for three days now, and the boredom was driving her mental. Oh, there was plenty of schoolwork—her tests were approaching almost terrifyingly quickly—but she could only focus on the correct uses of a Grimaulki's eye for so long before her eyelids started to fall. She sighed. And without the Doctor, spending time on homework had lost whatever appeal it had once had.

Donna'd been in to visit her several times with Ginny and Hermione stopped by between classes and meetings, but the Doctor had been conspicuously missing, from the beaten-up rubber soles of his trainers to his messy hair. Donna had looked nervous every time she'd brought him up, so Rose stopped eventually.

It wasn't like she'd been injured protecting him, the wanker.

She sighed again, reveling in the anger and the self-pity. At least this way it didn't hurt so much.

Someone cleared their throat at the foot of her bed, and Rose turned to see Martha standing there. She blinked. "Oh. Hi, Martha."

The other girl smiled uncertainly. "Hello. I heard about what happened, and thought I'd stop by."

"Thanks." There was a long, uncomfortable silence, and Martha let out a heavy breath and dropped into the chair at Rose's bedside. Rose stared. It was so unlike the usually calm, collected Martha—she'd tried to be nice to her, really she had, but there was something almost frightening in the other girl's control.

Martha cleared her throat. "So he finally got to you, then."

Rose shook her head a little, feeling utterly lost. "Who did?"

"Koschei Rosier, the little weasel. He's gone after all of us, one time or another, but he's usually more careful about not leaving any marks."

"It wasn't _technically _him, really—and what do you mean by us?"

"The Doctor's friends. Any time he gets close to somebody, Koschei makes a pet project out of hurting them. Nyssa Traken, from Ravenclaw? She used to be one of the Doctor's best friends, until Koschei got to her little brother Adric. Nothing could ever be traced to him, but he made sure she knew why. She hasn't spoken to the Doctor in years."

Rose swallowed. "I heard about what happened to you, last year. I'm so sorry."

Martha looked down, a small, bitter smile, curling her mouth. "Hey, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, yeah?"

Rose laughed awkwardly. "I hope so."

There was another awkward silence, and Martha cleared her throat. "So yeah, I just wanted to check in on you." She stood and paused, fiddling with her hands. It made her look surprisingly young, and Rose remembered with a start that Martha was the same age she was. "I just... I hope this doesn't make you rethink being friends with the Doctor. He's lost too many friends, and I think you mean a lot to him."

Rose blinked away sudden tears. "Thanks, but you could've fooled me."

"What do you mean?"

She smiled bitterly. "I haven't seen so much as a hair of 'im, and you know how hard it is to miss _that _mess."

Martha blinked, disconcerted, but she smiled bravely anyway. "I'm sure he'll show up soon."

ΘΣ

He didn't.

ΘΣ

"Sweetheart! Oh, let me look at you! I've missed you so _much!_" Rose ducked her head as her mother swept her up in her arms, wrinkling her nose against the heavy scent of Jackie's perfume.

The semester was over, her last week passing in a haze of last-minute testing and loneliness that even Captain Jack's constant cuddling couldn't ease. Her classmates were more hostile than ever—Rose sometimes felt as if the points she'd lost Gryffindor were tattooed on her skin. Hermione, Ginny, and Donna had managed to get her to the Hospital Wing without running into any teachers, but Madam Pomfrey had to be told_ how _Rose had gotten her legs crushed, and then the points went flying off like chaff in the wind. Rose had never seen the nurse that angry before, and she wasn't in a hurry to see it again.

The ride back to London had been an awkward one, with Donna's forced cheer filling their train car. Martha had been quietly sympathetic, and Hermione just curled up in the corner with a book, but Rose had felt her eyes on her more than once. Hermione had been a lifesaver, the last week—she helped Rose study for her last tests and spent her free time with the younger girl when the rest of Gryffindor Tower was giving her a cold shoulder.

Donna had snorted a little when Rose mentioned it. "It's not like she'd be surprised by how thick the unwashed masses can be, having the friends she has." At Rose's curious look, she shrugged. "Let's just say Harry wasn't always a hero to the other students."

Rose stepped back from Jackie, smiling to soften the worry that she saw in her mother's eyes. "C'mon, let's get the luggage, yeah?"

"Don't you have friends to say goodbye to?"

"Already done, Mum. Let's go." She pushed her way back through the crowd of families to the luggage car, tightening her rucksack's straps on her shoulders and keeping Captain Jack firmly ensconced in her arms. She'd just found her trunk and was pulling it out when Donna burst into the car, panting a little.

"There you are! Finally, I've been lookin' all over for you. Just wanted to give you this, before you went—" she turned around, but the doorway behind her was empty. Rose tightened her lips as Donna froze. The redhead spun around, glaring into the air. "Where did he…? Of all the stubborn, thick-headed _morons_—"

"It's okay, Donna. Really." Rose forced a smile at the other girl, blinking away tears of frustration. "Happy Christmas, yeah?"

Donna bit her lip and gave Rose a quick squeeze, her eyes unaccountably guilty. "Happy Christmas, Rose."

Rose handed Captain Jack to her mother and settled her trunk on a small pushcart, waving goodbye to Ginny and Hermione. An average-sized bloke with a dense mess of black hair and thick-framed specs had his arms wrapped around Ginny, and Rose's eyes widened as she realized that she'd just waved at Harry Potter. A tall-ish red-headed man was standing next to Hermione, wide smiles on both their faced—he must be Ron Weasley. Donna passed them, chatting happily with Martha, and something fell in Rose's stomach. They all had somebody to share this with, and she was going back to weeks on end of no magic and a mother that didn't want her at Hogwarts.

Jackie's voice broke into her thoughts. "Well, come on, then. I borrowed a car from Ted who lives two floors up, you remember him, right?"

"Yeah, sure."

The drive to the Powell Estate was quiet—Jackie would occasionally speak up, but Rose's monosyllabic responses didn't exactly make for easy conversation. They pulled up to the curb and Rose jumped out, yanking her luggage out of the boot of the car and walking quickly over to the elevator. A middle-aged woman in a lime green tracksuit bustled up to her, cheeks bright from too much makeup.

"Rosie! Oh, let me look at you! Jackie, why didn't you tell me Rosie was turnin' into such a knockout? Bet you drive the boys wild, huh?" She winked broadly at Rose, who forced herself to smile and jabbed the elevator call button again. "So, how's life up in Scotland, sweetheart? Must be a change comin' back to good old London town."

"A bit, yeah." Rose sighed in relief as the elevator slid open, and she hastily stepped inside. "Sorry, I'm kinda tired. See you later, Bev."

Fifteen minutes later she was firmly wrapped up in her bedclothes, staring miserably at the bright pink walls of her bedroom. They were almost exactly the same shade as her bag, and she sniffled back tears as she remembered the Doctor's exasperated fondness as he insisted on cleaning it for her.

Her door slammed open. "Rose Marion Tyler, there may be something on your mind, but if you refuse to tell me about it, then don't you _dare _take it out on me or Bev!" Jackie was standing in the doorway, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed.

"Just leave me alone, Mum."

"I will not. What happened to the girl who used to come to me with every scraped knee?" Her voice broke, and Rose sat up to see the tears in her mother's eyes. "You go on off to that school of yours, an' when you come back… even when you're sittin' in front of me, I can't find you."

Rose sniffed. "'M right here, Mum."

"Yeah? Then let me see you." Rose's face crumpled, and Jackie stepped over the pile of outerwear on the floor to reach Rose's bed, sitting beside her and pulling her into her arms. "Oh, sweetheart, what happened?"

"I just… I thought it was worth it, all the looks and the sneers and the pranks, 'cause I had him, an' that was enough. I guess he didn't think the same." She closed her eyes and began to cry for the first time since the accident in the dungeon, Jackie rocking her gently as she murmured words of comfort.

By the time her sobs had turned to sniffles, Rose was resting her head on her mother's lap as Jackie ran a hand gently through her hair. She cleared her throat. "This 'him'—it was that Doctor bloke, right?" At Rose's look, she rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, it's not that much of a jump. He's been all over your letters this year, oh the Doctor this, the Doctor that. Always thought it seemed a bit full of himself, goin' by 'the Doctor'. Who does he think he is, anyway? He's no sort of person if he broke my daughter's heart."

Rose flushed. "Mum, it's not like we were goin' out, or anything."

Jackie sighed and looked down, her grey eyes sad. "No, but you love him. I'm sorry you had to learn how much that can hurt."

"I didn't… we never…" She shut her eyes and curled up into a ball. Her whisper barely carried through the purple sheets. "I love him so much, Mum."

Jackie brushed a hand over Rose's hair and sighed. "It hurts like hell when you don't have the person you loved anymore. But even if he's gone, you're still here. So live for Rose Tyler, an' things will get better eventually."

Rose sat up slowly, running the back of her hand roughly over her tear-stained cheeks. "You're right, Mum."

"'Course I am. Now c'mon, what you need is a nice cuppa tea. You'll never guess what Bev told me Marge from the corner apartment's been doin' in her spare time—"

Rose smiled and looked down at Captain Jack as her mother's voice drifted off into the kitchen, and she tightened her jaw and nodded to herself. Yes, the Doctor wasn't beside her anymore, but he wasn't going to break her. She was on Christmas break, and it was going to be a good one.

ΘΣ


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

ΘΣ

Rose stared into the mirror, debating the merits of the red lipstick she'd borrowed from Jackie. She was going out to Shireen's for New Year's, much to her mother's satisfaction. She almost seemed happier about Rose reconnecting with her friends on the estate than Rose did. Keisha had been by earlier in the day, and she'd chosen Rose's outfit for her—at the thought of her clothes, Rose tugged down the hem of her miniskirt with a grimace. It didn't help, though. The blasted thing remained just as short, a flippy little silver number that fluttered and waved around the tops of her thighs. Her top wasn't much better, all smooth black silk that was draped carefully around her curves. At least the black tights Rose had slipped on after Keisha left kept things from looking_ too _daring.

"Rose, are you almost ready?" Jackie's voice proceeded her into Rose's room and she appeared in the doorway, wearing a short, tight dress and too much perfume. "Blimey, look at you! Darling, you're _gorgeous_. Mickey won't know what hit 'im."

"Mum, I'm not tryin' to get back with Mickey." Rose flushed and dropped the lipstick on her vanity, opting for a light lip gloss instead. She'd run into him a few times over the past few weeks, mostly when she was visiting Rita-Anne, and it had been incredibly awkward each time. He could barely bring himself to mention Hogwarts, and Keisha and Shireen just thought she was attending a specialized academy her dad had gone too (and lord, had she gotten teased about that)—they had no idea _how _specialized a school Hogwarts was.

Jackie was grinning, and she gave Rose a wink. "Sure ya aren't. Right, I'm off to the pub—make sure you're home before too late, I dunno when I'll be back. Ben from downstairs has been lookin' mighty scrumptious lately."

Rose gagged. "Mum!"

"Oh, don't look at me like that! A woman's got needs, an' there's no shame in seein' to them. Later, sweetie!" She strolled out, and Rose pulled on a pair of black heels and wobbled to her feet.

She smiled a little as she put on the dangly silver earrings Donna had sent her for Christmas and wrapped the scarf from Hermione around her throat. Ginny had sent her a box of Wizarding chocolates that fizzed and danced in her mouth—those hadn't lasted the week. Jackie had loved them until she realized that the Dark Chocolate Flavorbomb she'd tried had dyed her mouth brilliant purple, and it was only then that Rose saw the tiny Weasley Wizarding Wheezes logo hidden on the bottom of the box.

There had been nothing from the Doctor, but she wasn't thinking about him. She pulled on her jacket and grabbed her purse, locking their flat behind her.

ΘΣ

The door to Shireen's flat was already open, loud music and the indistinguishable drone of conversation spilling out into the hallway. Rose pushed her way in between a girl in a skin-tight dress and a bloke in an ugly shirt. Shireen was standing by the doorway, nodding along happily to the thumping beat, and she squealed when she saw Rose. "Rose, babe, there you are! C'mon, let's get that jacket off so I can get a look at you." She tugged Rose into her bedroom, tossing her purse and jacket carelessly on the bed before gesturing for her to spin. "Oh, Rose, you look _stunning._ Now let's dance! We've got a live band an' all!"

Rose leaned closer as they shoved their way through the crowd, raising her voice to be heard through the music. "Who's playin' for a house party?"

"I don't think they've got a name yet, but Keisha's brother Jay knows the drummer." She grinned wickedly. "Good thing, too—he's a bit of all right."

Rose laughed. "God, Shireen, don't you think of anything else?"

"Well, I could—but this is _way _more fun." She threw her arms up and closed her eyes, and Rose followed her lead. On the dance floor she didn't have to think about how much she missed the Doctor, and how angry she was that she _did_ miss him—there was just the beat that thrummed down her spine, pulsing through her veins.

ΘΣ

Rose stumbled off the dance floor, pushing her way through the crowds to Shireen's balcony. The band was taking a break, so Keisha'd switched on some electronica, and the air inside the flat was thick with sweat and the heavy synth coming from the speakers. She slipped out through the doors, leaning against the railing and shivering. The chilly December—almost January—air felt fantastic against her damp skin, though her teeth began to chatter as a cold breeze flowed around her.

"Bit nippy out here, innit?"

Rose turned her head at the light male voice, sighing a little to watch her breath cloud in front of her. "A bit, yeah, but it feels good."

The guitarist from the band strolled up next to her, leaning against the iron railing and looking out on the estate. He seemed a bit older than her, maybe nineteen or twenty, with messy light brown hair and bright blue eyes. "So, what's a girl like you doin' out here alone?"

She grinned a tongue-touched smile, cocking her head. "An' what sort of a girl is that?"

He winked at her. "A gorgeous one." She shivered again, and he shrugged out of his jacket. "Here, want this?"

"Won't you be cold, though?"

He glanced down at her, eyes quickly tracing her body. "I'm a bit more covered than you are, love. I'll be fine."

She blushed. "Sure, hand it over."

"Now what kind of a gentleman would I be if I did that, eh?" He spun his jacket theatrically and settled it on her shoulders, smiling down at her. "Better?"

She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Yeah, thanks."

"Looks better on you, anyway." He shifted to one elbow, facing her. "I'm Jimmy, by the way. Jimmy Stones."

"Rose Tyler."

"Nice to meet you, Rose Tyler. You never answered my question, by the way."

She lifted her chin. "Maybe I just wanted to let go an' have some fun, for once."

He laughed. "Big fan of fun, me."

"Well, who isn't?"

"You'd be surprised." The countdown started in the flat, a drunken medley of voices chanting down to the new year. Jimmy turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "How d'you feel about a bit of fun right here, right now?"

Rose paused a moment before raising an eyebrow and turning towards him. "You're that confident, are you?"

"Haven't heard any complaints." He waggled his eyebrows and smiled down at her, and she smiled back.

"5!" The Doctor's face drifted into her mind, waggling his eyebrows as he beamed at her, eyes full of mischief.

"4!" She tightened her hand, remembering how he'd always caught her hand with his, almost as much instinct as breathing.

"3!" Then the long hours in the Hospital Wing came back to her, the days spent waiting for someone who wasn't coming.

"2!" Donna's face as she tried to make excuses for the Doctor, excuses he wouldn't even bother to give Rose himself.

"1!" The owl post returning to her on Christmas day, her package for the Doctor still clutched in its claws even though Donna's present was gone.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Rose leaned up as Jimmy leaned down, their lips meeting in a rush of warm air and soft skin. She closed her eyes and stopped thinking.

ΘΣ


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

ΘΣ

"Are you sure you can get to the train all right, Rose? I'd go along, but Marie down at the salon cut my hours, and I've got work in twenty minutes—"

Rose rolled her eyes and finished latching her trunk. "I'll be fine, Mum. Managed it last time, didn't I?"

Jackie bit her lip. "If you're sure…"

"I am, Mum." Rose smiled and hugged her mother, sighing a little. It had been good to be home for a bit, to relax somewhere that wasn't so complicated. Shireen had teased her for three days about her New Year's kiss, but even though Jimmy had asked for her number, Rose hadn't given it to him. It was a good kiss—well, good kisses—but she'd had enough of charming blokes with the world in their smiles. She was ready to go back to school, to face the complicated mess she'd left behind. After all, she was a Tyler woman—they didn't just give up when things didn't go their way. One way or another, she was going to get a clear answer from the Doctor. He couldn't avoid her forever. "I've got some money saved up, so I called a cab. Now go on, have a good day at work. I'll write you when I get there, all right?"

"All right." Jackie gave her one last squeeze and pulled her jacket on, blinking away tears. "I'll miss you, sweetheart."

Rose swung her rucksack on. "I'm just a letter away."

"It's not the same." She sighed and ran a hand through her bleach-blond hair. "All right, I'm off. I love you, Rose."

"Love you too, Mum." She dragged her luggage over to the elevator and waved as the doors slid closed, letting out a sigh and reaching down to pet Captain Jack. "Bet you'll be happy to go back, won't you? Don't think I didn't notice how you were cozyin' up to Mariana's little tabby last month." He meowed at her, and she laughed a little. "And I'm talkin' to my cat. Blimey, I can't get back to school fast enough."

The cabbie was waiting outside, and he glanced suspiciously at Captain Jack. "Right, if you're carryin' 'im, you'll need to keep a firm hold on 'im. I don't want cat hair all over my cab."

She tightened her grip in Jack. "Don't worry, I will. King's Cross, please."

The train station was bustling with people, and she settled Jack on top of her trunk once she'd gotten a pushcart for it. The change in atmosphere from September was startling—families waved goodbye easily, and the students pressed their way into the train, chattering happily about break. Rose dropped off her trunk at the back and gathered Captain Jack in her arms, peeking into the compartments as she walked down the train.

An arm came out of nowhere to wrap around Rose's shoulder and she jumped and turned to face Ginny, who was grinning down at her. "Blimey, you're a bit jumpy, aren't you? C'mon, Hermione's saving a seat for you up front."

Rose blushed and let the older girl lead her down the train. "Sorry, I just haven't had the best experiences on the train."

Ginny laughed. "It can't have been as bad as some of mine. My third year, Fred—" she paused and her face fell for a moment before she continued, her voice as determinedly cheerful as before. "My brother Fred, he slipped a voice-changing token in my pocket as we were boarding. I spent a whole fifteen minutes talking like a parrot before Hermione pointed out something was off—he'd enchanted it so that I wouldn't be able to tell, of course." She smiled reminiscently and blinked rapidly, shaking her head. "And that wasn't even the worst prank he pulled on me."

"It sounds like he really knew his way around a spell." Rose looked down. "I'm sorry you lost him."

"Yeah. Me, too. This was the first Christmas since… we're still learning how to be without him." She sighed and chuckled a little bitterly. "It's taking a while. But enough about that—how was your Christmas?"

They chatted happily until they found their compartment, and Hermione looked up with a smile. "Hello, Rose. How was your break?"

"It was good—it's great to be back, though." She curled up in the corner as they talked, watching with a smile as Captain Jack immediately started nuzzling Crookshanks. The half-kneazle had been downright hostile when he first met Jack, but he'd softened over the months while their respective owners lived together—now he actually tolerated him. Jack still got a firm cuff whenever he tried to cuddle up to Hermione, though.

Donna popped her head in the door. "'Ello, girls!" Ginny shuffled over to make room for her, and she sat down with a sigh, leaning back and closing her eyes. "Oh, that's nice. I swear, I'm still feeling New Year's." She snorted. "It's all Nerys' fault, the daft cow."

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "What did you do?"

"Let's just say I won't be tryin' a drink that literally sparkles again—_ever_—and leave it at that." She opened one eye and smirked at Ginny and Hermione. "Bet you two had fun over New Year's, though."

Ginny blushed and grinned like the cat that caught the canary, but Hermione's lips twisted bitterly. "I spent mine with Mum and Dad. It was… an experience." She looked down and began twisting the small golden bracelet she wore around her wrist before forcing a smile as she looked at Rose. "How was yours, Rose?"

"Y'know, I wasn't expecting much—but it was nice." She brushed a finger across her lips absently, remembering Jimmy's mischievous eyes. "It really was."

Donna perked up, the lure of gossip pulling her like a siren's song. "Oh? And what's that happy little smile about?" The door to their compartment began to roll open, and she continued. "What's his name?"

"Jimmy. Jimmy Stones." There was a muffled noise from the doorway, and they looked up to see the Doctor standing there, his eyes wide.

He swallowed heavily. "Donna, just thought you should know that our bags got switched. I'll be off, then."

Donna jumped to her feet. "Nah, I'll go check the luggage car. Better get that cleared up, eh?"

Ginny was next, and she shouldered past the Doctor easily. "I've been meaning to find Clara anyway. Got to get back that book I leant her."

Hermione gathered Crookshanks in her arms and headed out the doors, managing to push the Doctor further into their compartment. "Oh, pardon me. I've just remembered I need to talk to the prefects about schedule changes." She closed the door behind her, and the sound of the lock engaging filled the sudden quiet. The Doctor was facing the door, a look of helpless frustration on his face.

Rose lifted her chin. "Is it that hard to be alone with me?"

"Yes—no—Rose, you don't understand."

She swished her wand, and the muffling haze of a sound ward slammed up around them as she raised her voice. "You're _damn_ right I don't!"

"Just… just let me out, okay?"

She stood and faced him, glaring up in the cramped space of the compartment. "No. Not yet. Not until I _do_ understand, which means you'd better start talking."

He spun angrily at that, his eyes burning. "What, so the crushed legs didn't make it clear enough for you? Being around me is_ dangerous_, Rose, and I'm not going to let you get hurt again."

Rose blinked as the confusion that had tangled her insides for the past month fell away. She groaned in exasperation. "'Let' me? Doctor, you didn't 'let' me get hurt—it just happened. I got better. Makes sense you don't remember that part, though, considerin' you weren't around to see it."

He winced, but his jaw was still clenched angrily. "Yeah, you got better this time—what about next time, though? If I—if we—how long is it until Koschei goes after you again?"

"We'll just find out, won't we?"

He reached out and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her a little. "You don't know what he's capable of, Rose! I'm _not_ going to go along with this and pretend everything's all right when he's right there—"

Rose's hands clenched into fists. "He's already won, then, hasn't he?"

For the first time since she'd met him, the Doctor actually looked speechless. "What?"

"He doesn't even have to do anything. You're pullin' yourself apart all on your own, throwin' me away."

"Throwing you…? No, Rose! That's not it at all."

She glared up at him and raised her chin. "Well, pardon me for having a hard time reading nonexistent hints."

"Rose, you're—you mean so much to me, Rose, and if you got hurt because of me—" He swallowed heavily again, and she reached up to cup his cheek.

"Already happened, Doctor." He flinched at that and looked away, and she guided his face back to hers. "And you know what? I got better. And I don't regret it. What I _do_ regret is you feelin' like you've got to run and hide just 'cause Koschei gets pissy about you havin' friends. You're better than him, Doctor. You can't let fear dictate your life."

"But—"

"He causes trouble, we go to somebody for help. I know Professor Smith would listen. You don't have to do this alone, Doctor. No matter how hard he tries, you're still surrounded by people that care about you." She swallowed. "People that love you."

His eyes shot back to hers, and she smiled tremulously up at him. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. He cleared his throat. "What about Jimmy Stones?"

"Just a midnight kiss for New Year's, nothin' more." She looked down and spoke, her voice quiet. "An' I missed you every second."

The Doctor was frozen, caught between backing away and pulling her close. Rose looked up and met his eyes. "Just answer me this, Doctor. D'you regret this?" She gestured between them. "Regret us?"

He closed his eyes and groaned in defeat, pulling Rose into his arms. His voice was muffled when he spoke, his mouth pressed against her honey-blond hair. "I don't. I really should, but… I can't."

"Well good, 'cause I don't either." She pressed back a little, looking up into his eyes. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world." Carefully, keeping her eyes locked with his the whole time, Rose edged up on her tip-toes and pressed her lips to his. He was still for a moment before he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms more tightly around her, his hands slipping down to curl around her waist.

It was chaste and sweet, nothing like Jimmy's practiced kisses on New Year's, but it was everything Rose could've hoped for. She closed her eyes and slid her arms up around his shoulders, losing herself in the careful shift of his mouth on hers.

There was a click at the door, and Rose reluctantly pulled away from the Doctor's lips to hastily dismantle the sound ward. Donna and Ginny were standing in the doorway, grinning like a pair of Cheshire cats. Ginny glanced sideways at Donna. "_Told _you. You owe me a Galleon."

Donna pretended to be annoyed at her, but she was smiling too widely for it to be in any way convincing. "Oh, fine. Pay you back later, all right?"

"Sure." They moved into the compartment, plopping down on the wide seats, and Ginny wiggled her eyebrows at them, mirth sparkling in her eyes. "Don't mind us."

The Doctor flushed deeply, the tips of his ears glowing bright red. "I should go—"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't be ridiculous. Where're you going to go, back to that cramped little compartment with Martin Lydecker? My word, the B.O. on that kid!"

He pursed his lips. "He can't help it, Donna!"

"Doesn't mean you have to suffer through it the whole train ride. Hermione wasn't kidding about the prefects, she's got meetings for at least the next hour. Now come on, sit with us. You've been alone too much lately."

Rose slipped her hand in his, and he tightened his grip instinctively before he looked down at her. She smiled, lopsided but honest. "Stay? I've missed you."

He smiled back at her, the tense lines of his body relaxing. "All right."

ΘΣ


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

ΘΣ

The train reached the outskirts of Hogsmeade just as Donna finished her story about her friend/nemesis Nerys and the dog that lives down the block from them, though how the dancing monkey fit into it Rose had no idea. She was curled up against the Doctor's shoulder, the laughter bringing tears to her eyes and an ache to her gut. The door opened and Martha appeared, looking round at them. "We'll be arriving soon, so you guys might want to get your stuff together—" she caught sight of the Doctor and Rose's clasped hands, and the rest of the sentence died in her throat. There was a sudden, awkward silence, and then she let out a heavy breath. "Well, it's about _time_, you git."

Ginny started laughing, and Donna leaned back with a relieved grin.

"Oi!" The Doctor was pouting, but Rose elbowed him in the side, dislodging Captain Jack from his lap.

"She's got a point, Doctor."

Martha smirked. "Of course I do. Seriously, though, you'll be wanting to get your stuff together."

There was the normal rush of changing into uniforms and collecting luggage, and by the time the train had arrived they were all ready to disembark. Genevieve and Rebecca stepped out of their compartment and their eyes narrowed when they noticed the Doctor and Rose standing together, hands loosely knotted and shoulders bumping.

Genevieve scowled at them. "Well. I suppose it was too much to hope for that you'd have learned your lesson."

Rose raised her eyebrows. "What, that I should spend my time with people that I actually care about? Think I'm good on that one, actually." The brunette let out an irritated huff of breath, and Rose rolled her eyes. "Look, if it bothers you so much—actually, no. We _won't_ leave, because this is none of your business."

Rebecca glared at her. "Stupid cow."

The Doctor's hand tightened on Rose's, but she snorted. "I missed you, too."

The doors creaked open, and they all made their way out. Rose frowned. When the Hogwarts Express had arrived in September, there were two professors and two Aurors at the station. Now four professors were lined up to meet the students, and five Aurors stepped out of the front car.

She exchanged a worried glance with the Doctor and tugged him closer, her voice low. "D'you think it has to do with what happened in November?"

Ginny frowned at them. "Wait, what happened in November?"

The Doctor looked closely at her, but after a moment he nodded decisively. "I'll tell you in a bit, yeah?"

They found a larger carriage and squished in, Rose beside the Doctor and Hermione between Ginny and Donna. He cleared his throat as the Thestral jerked forward. "Last November, Rose and I snuck out of the school group in Hogsmeade. I'd been working on a spell, and I wanted—needed—to test it, and I couldn't do that in town. Instead, I had to do it in the Shrieking Shack." Hermione paled and pulled Crookshanks to her, and the Doctor let out a soft breath. "It was a variation on a memory spell, but unlike a Pensieve, it looks at the memory of a location instead of an individual. We wanted to find out what happened that night—"

"You could've asked me." Hermione's jaw was set.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but more happened than you know." He looked at Rose and raised an eyebrow questioningly. She bit her lip and looked at the others before shaking her head a little, and he squeezed her hand as he turned to the others. "We weren't the only people there, though. A Death Eater had been watching us, and she wanted to hurt Rose. If the Auror hadn't shown up when he did…" he trailed off, and the others' faces turned slightly green.

Hermione held Crookshanks even more tightly. "What did the Death Eater say? Was she… was she after me?"

Rose shook her head. "I don't think so. She kept talkin' about how they were lookin' for Voldemort's heir." Her eyes widened as a thought struck her. "Doctor, d'you think she meant Koschei? Maybe they were lookin' to recruit him."

Ginny pursed her lips. "I doubt it. I would wager my left arm that he's already one of them. A kid like that, with brains, blood, and no conscience to speak of? He's probably been a Death Eater since he was in the cradle."

The Doctor looked out the window at that, his jaw tight.

They rolled up to the front of the castle, and Rose blinked as she realized that the ride had been remarkably smooth. They piled out of the carriage, and she looked around. Apparently the time had finally come for the superficial repairs over break—the cobblestone road that led up to Hogwarts was smoothly paved once again, and the pock-marked walls and ash-darkened windows had been repaired and cleaned until they gleamed. Donna took in a deep breath, sighing with happiness. "Now _that's_ more like it."

Ginny grinned at her. "Oh, I've missed this."

They walked up the steps to the Entrance Hall, and the Doctor gave Rose a quick hug as he left to head to the Slytherins' table. Donna giggled, and Rose gave up and let herself grin. It lasted until she caught Koschei's eye. He was standing in the doorway, his gaze locked on hers as the other students passed around him.

She raised her chin as she passed him. "I'm not afraid of you."

"You'll learn, Tyler."

"Well, I hope so. We are in a school, after all. Now, I'm feelin' a bit peckish, so if you don't mind?" She followed her roommates to the Gryffindors' table, ignoring his glare scorching her back and the irritated looks of her classmates.

ΘΣ

"Prefects, if you would escort the students back to their dorm?" Hermione looked over and caught Rose's eye. She'd come into dinner late, looking troubled, and had been quiet all through the welcoming feast. Rose exchanged a look with Ginny and stepped back as the other students walked back up to the tower, and a humorless smile tilted the corner of Hermione's mouth. She leaned closer to the younger girl. "You might want to get the Doctor. He's a part of this, too."

"Sure." Rose leaned over to look at the Slytherins' table, catching the Doctor's eye. She jerked her head at him, ignoring the disapproving looks of his classmates, and he made his way over through the rapidly dwindling crowd. She slipped her hand into his, and Hermione nodded at them.

"Right, could you come with me?"

The Doctor gave Rose a nervous look, but she shrugged up at him. It was Hermione—nothing _too_ bad could happen. The Head Girl led them around the corner and up the stairs, walking quickly. She didn't speak until they reached a pillar with a misshapen gargoyle at the top, when she said, "_Mutuam habeatis caritatem__._" The gargoyle nodded unsteadily at them, nearly falling off his perch, and the pillar slid aside to reveal a spiraling staircase set into the wall. Hermione cleared her throat. "I know this wasn't what you were expecting, but it's for the best." Her lips twisted and she tugged her sleeves down, gesturing at the staircase with a jerky movement. "After you."

The Doctor's hand tightened on Rose's and he stepped forward, leading them onto the staircase. Hermione followed, and soon they were standing in front of the Headmistress' door. She knocked, her fist rapping sharply against the heavy oak.

A voice drifted out from inside. "Come in."

They entered the room nervously, Rose nibbling on her lower lip. Headmistress McGonagall was seated by the fireplace, and she gestured for them to join her. Celeste Hopkins, the young Auror that the Doctor and Rose had overheard several months ago, was leaning against the fireplace mantle, the firelight flickering off her mahogany skin.

"Do sit down, please." The Doctor and Rose glanced at each other and sat on the small loveseat, and Hermione slipped into the short, cushy armchair by its side. McGonagall was watching them closely, her green eyes piercing. "Miss Granger tells me you've encountered a Death Eater not far from the school grounds."

Rose shot her a look, and she shrugged helplessly. "I had to tell her."

The Doctor swallowed. "In Hogsmeade, actually, ma'am."

Celeste leaned forward, her thick dreadlocks brushing against her shoulders. "Where, exactly?"

Rose spoke up. "In the Shrieking Shack."

"But that's… how did you get _in_ there? We had some of our top Aurors create wards around that place. No one should've been able to break through, much less a pair of students."

The Doctor wrinkled his nose, his glasses shifting up with the movement. "Those wards were from your top Aurors? Really?"

McGonagall sighed. "Mr. Mott here makes a habit of getting into places he really shouldn't." At his nervous look, she raised an amused eyebrow. "You've made a bit of a name for yourself among the teachers, you know."

He coughed into his hand. "Most people tend not to notice."

"Most people aren't the Headmistress. Regardless of your nocturnal activities, though, we must know what happened in the Shrieking Shack. We've fought too hard and lost too much for this peace to be jeopardized."

The Doctor's eyebrows drew together and Rose leaned into him, lowering her voice. "Doctor, if there's anybody that should know—"

He sighed. "You're right." His gaze lifted from Rose to meet McGonagall's, and he ran a hand through his hair. "I wasn't here during the Battle of Hogwarts. Dad kept almost all of the danger from Donna and I, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to thank him enough for that. But I heard about what happened to Professor Snape, and something didn't click. He'd always taught us to be prepared, and when I found out later that he'd been a double agent for almost twenty years, it bothered me even more. So I started work on a spell. I'd been reading up on memory spells lately, and Pensieves in particular, and the theory of it was fascinating. So, I decided to create a spell. Instead of entering the memory of a person, my goal was to reveal the memories of a place—in this case, it was the Shrieking Shack. When the November Hogsmeade trip came around and the spell was ready, Rose and I cast it." He paused and grinned. "And it worked. We saw everything that had happened in that room over the past year, including what happened the night of the final battle."

Something had caught Rose's eye as the Doctor was talking and she looked up to see Dumbledore's portrait watching them keenly. As the Doctor paused, she spoke to it. "Including somethin' we never thought we'd see again. You knew about it, though, didn't you?"

He chuckled, the sound oddly flat. "Well observed, Miss Tyler. Yes, I knew about it. I arranged it, in point of fact. Mrs. Hopkins, you might want to step away from the fireplace."

"What—" Celeste cut herself off, stumbling away from the wide fireplace as the flames roared high and green.

ΘΣ

_Mutuam habeatis caritatem_: (Maintain among you) Mutual Love (or Charity). Okay, this is where I get geeky: this is the motto of County Donagal, the traditional family seat of clan McGonagall in Ireland.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

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A dark figure stepped out, his voice a low rasp as he brushed soot away from his black robes. He grimaced. "Albus, your damned bird has been pestering me for the last five minutes. What do you—" Severus Snape froze, taking in the people that surrounded him. Hermione and Professor McGonagall looked stunned, while Celeste Hopkins had automatically reached for her wand. The Doctor waved at him and Rose elbowed him in the side. He glared up at the portrait. "What have you done to my Floo network?"

"Just a little bit of restructuring, my boy. Don't worry, it will revert."

"It had better. Damn it, old man, most people stop menacing their colleagues after they die."

"You've been tucked away in that lonely department for long enough, Severus. It's time for you to be a part of the world again."

"Thank you _so_ much for your consideration." He glared at the Doctor and Rose. "From your reactions, I'm assuming the memory spell didn't take."

Rose schooled her face into seriousness. "Not so much, no."

Hermione gasped. "You _knew?_ You knew he was alive?"

She looked at the older girl and shrugged uncomfortably. "It wasn't my story to tell."

Snape threw Dumbledore a poisonous glance at that, but he looked back at the group in front of the fireplace when Professor McGonagall spoke, her voice cracking with emotion. "Severus, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

He sighed. "You weren't meant to, Minerva."

"But I should've."

"If you had, it would've meant I'd failed in my task. If you're looking for guilt, Minerva, I won't give it to you."

She choked in a small, hiccupping breath and nodded, calming herself visibly. When she spoke again, her voice was level, with just the slightest of quavers in it. "From the timing, I assume that you were also present when Mr. Mott and Miss Tyler encountered the Death Eater?" Snape nodded, tightening his shoulders, and McGonagall blinked. "Oh, and do sit down."

"I prefer to stand, thank you. And yes, I was there. The spell Mr. Mott and Miss Tyler used activated some personal wards I'd set on the Shrieking Shack, and they alerted me that someone was looking for me." He cut his eyes at the two on the loveseat. "Until I arrived, I had no idea it was a pair of errant students. They weren't alone, though—Drusilla Marbury was with them. She'd apparently followed them as they snuck in, and had been observing the spell casting."

The breath hissed between Celeste's teeth. "So _that's_ where Marbury was. We were wondering. It's not in her nature to lie low. What did she want?"

"That's the peculiar thing. There was, of course, the usual rot—you shall pay for your villainy, etc., all without a trace of irony—but she claimed that one faction of the Death Eaters were searching for Voldemort's heir."

McGonagall frowned. "Have we heard of any such person?"

Snape shook his head impatiently. "No, because such a person doesn't exist. The Dark Lord had no interest in siring an heir. To do so would be tantamount to accepting his own mortality, in his eyes." Hermione gave him a curious look, and a small, humorless smile tilted his lips. "Lucius tried to suggest it, once. That was the last time anyone brought it up."

Celeste had seated herself in a high-backed wing chair, and she was watching Snape. "You said one faction was searching for the heir. Any idea who they might be?"

"From what Marbury said, it seems likely that the group sniffing around Hogwarts is made up of those that were incarcerated between the wars."

Hermione paled and clenched her wand, her knuckles standing out yellow-white against her skin. Her voice was rough when she spoke. "At least Bellatrix isn't a part of it."

Snape was watching the older girl carefully, and for a moment Rose thought she saw sympathy in those hard black eyes. "I heard about what Molly did. I have to admit I'm sorry to have missed that."

Her mouth tilted up in a smile without warmth. "All we'd need is a Pensieve, and you might have a deal."

McGonagall's eyebrows drew together. "Severus, Miss Granger, please. We are talking about someone's _death_, here."

Hermione's back remained unbowed. "I know." The headmistress gave her an unnerved glance, but Snape seemed almost amused.

Celeste cleared her throat. "What happened to Marbury?"

Snape sighed. "Some _very_ dark magic. Apparently someone had booby-trapped her mind—she came close to revealing what 'the heir' was about, and for that, she paid with her life."

The Auror's eyes narrowed. "And we should believe you because…?"

Both Hermione and McGonagall stiffened at her tone, but the Doctor rolled his eyes. "Because he's got two witnesses, sitting right here." He grinned cheekily at Snape. "Good thing that memory spell didn't work, eh?"

Snape shot him an annoyed glance, but it was Dumbledore's portrait that spoke for him. "Are you doubting my judgment, Mrs. Hopkins?"

She looked up to meet his blue eyes and gulped, her eyes widening. "No, sir, it's just that—"

"I believe the necessity of Severus' actions has been more than adequately explained. If you have further questions, you might direct them to the Minister of Magic, who is by now well aware of Severus' loyalties. Until then, do not pester him with unnecessary questions."

Snape glanced over his shoulder, one of his eyebrows winging up impressively. "Oh, _now_ you decide you should defend me?"

The portrait's gaze dropped below his frame. "My boy, you know I couldn't have risked it."

"Of course not."

Rose yawned suddenly and blushed. McGonagall blinked and shook her head a little, looking at her students. "This went far longer than I anticipated. I do apologize, Mr. Mott, Miss Tyler and Miss Granger. If Severus was also present during the Death Eater encounter, I believe it is time for you to head back to your dormitories. That is, if staying is all right with you, Severus?"

He nodded minutely at her. "Of course, Minerva." He sat next to her as Hermione led the Doctor and Rose out.

Rose cleared her throat as they walked back towards the main hall. "Hermione, it's not curfew yet. D'you mind if I catch up to you later?"

The older girl glanced back at them, raising an eyebrow. "No, not at all. I'll see you later." She paused. "And _you_ get to deal with Donna when you get back."

"I know, thanks." They passed an empty classroom, and Rose pulled the Doctor into it.

His eyebrows flew up. "Not that any of this seems _bad_, Rose, but… what's going on?"

"You got through the Auror's wards at the Shrieking Shack."

"Well, it wasn't that difficult—Dad used to be an Auror, and they all tend to use their magic the same way."

She waved a hand impatiently. "That's not what I'm talkin' about. You got through the wards at the Shrieking Shack. Why did you stay in the compartment earlier? God knows _I_ didn't need to let you out."

He winced. "Rose, that's not—"

"Just answer the question, Doctor."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Because you didn't want me to leave, all right? And maybe… maybe I didn't want to." She walked away from him, pacing back and forth in front of the teacher's desk. He watched her carefully, leaning against the wall. "Rose?"

"Is it always gonna be like this, then? What happens between us happens when you decide you want it to?" He stayed silent, his shoulders tensing. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, tangling it in the thick gold locks. "If we're gonna be anything, Doctor, you can't keep doin' that. You can't decide you know what's best for me, for both of us. Gods knows I care about you and I missed you more than breathin' sometimes, but if that's what you're going to do, then I can get on by myself."

He scowled, his face cast in shadow. "What is this, an ultimatum?"

"If that's what you want to call it, then yes. You can't just decide that I'd be better off without you an' leave me to wonder what I did wrong for weeks."

He sighed, tugging on his earlobe. "Rose, you didn't do anything wrong."

"No? Sure as hell felt like it, when my best friend decided to pull an Invisible Man on me when I needed him most."

He winced. "I'm sorry."

Some of the tenseness eased out of her shoulders, and she let out a shaky breath. "I'm not lookin' for an apology, not that that wasn't nice to hear. I just want to know you won't pull that on me again."

He looked up and swallowed, his dark eyes darting to her and then away again. "I won't."

"You'd better not."

They stood in silence, the empty classroom between them. The Doctor scuffed the toes of his battered green trainers against the stone floor, and Rose sighed and moved forward. His arms opened automatically for her and she burrowed into his chest, closing her eyes as she snuggled against the soft wool of his jumper.

They didn't move for a long time.

ΘΣ


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

ΘΣ

Rose slipped into the 7th year dormitory, shutting the door quietly behind her. Hermione was out on rounds, but Ginny was curled up in bed, snoring a little. The last member of their group popped her head out of her bed curtains, hair mussed with a smug smile on her face.

"Everything workin' out, then?"

"Yeah. Somehow."

Donna caught the hesitant tone in Rose's voice and slipped out of bed, pulling her purple dressing gown around her. Her voice was soft when she spoke. "Oi, what's this about, then?"

Rose glanced at her and opened her bed curtains, raising a sound ward after Donna joined her. "Just… wonderin' what I'm signing on for, I guess."

Donna's smile faded at that, petting Captain Jack as he wound his way around her. She focused on the sleek tom as she spoke. "I know I'm not exactly unbiased, but you could do a lot worse."

"I know I could. Blimey, Donna, I know how amazin' he is. But I can't be sure that he won't pull a stunt like last month again if he thinks it'd be for my own good."

Donna took a deep breath. "Rose, I'm sorry."

Rose let out a soft laugh. "'S not you that I needed to hear it from."

"But it is." At Rose's startled expression, she looked down and started playing with her fingers. "I may have… said some things, after Hermione put you under."

"What d'you mean?"

"I was just—I was so worried about you, and he's _always_ off exploring 'cause he refuses to ask anybody for help, and he'll get himself killed one of these days, and god, there was so much blood."

Rose reached over and touched her knee. "Donna. Slow down. It's okay, really. It's not your fault." Her eyes narrowed. "Wait, what d'you mean about he doesn't ask for help?"

Donna paused, but then she shook her head as she leaned back against the bedpost. "He has nightmares, the Doctor does. He's had 'em for as long as I've known 'im. Why do you think he never sleeps?"

Rose frowned, remembering dark eyes in a magical room. "He's never said."

"Of course he wouldn't." The redhead sighed, tilting her head back at staring at the top of the canopy. "He hates asking anybody for help, or even showing that he needs it. Whoever his parents were, I can't decide whether I'd like to thank them for givin' him up or kill them." She met Rose's look, and a small smile tilted her lips. "Yeah, I know he's not blood family. He _is_ my family in every way that matters, though, an' that's what's important. But he's so convinced that he should never need anyone. 'S part of why he ran off on you, 'cause he does. He needs you. He was so unhappy without you, Rose. I know what he did was daft, and I'm so sorry if I did anything to cause it, but he's nuts about you."

Rose sighed. "It's really not your fault, Donna. He'd probably have done it even if you hadn't said anything." There was a long pause, and she swallowed as she looked up to meet Donna's eyes. "But… really? D'you think so?"

She smiled softly at Rose. "I know so. He was lost without you."

The bedcurtains swooshed open, and they looked up to see Hermione standing there, looking exasperated. Rose lowered the sound ward, and the older girl sighed, crossing her arms. "Come on, tomorrow's the first day of class. The sleepovers can wait."

Donna chuckled and slid off Rose's bed. "I'm goin', I'm goin'." She glanced back. "Just… remember what I said?"

"I will."

"G'night, Rose. Hermione."

Hermione sighed and collapsed on her bed. "G'night, girls."

"Sleep well." Rose pulled the curtains closed again and pulled on her pajamas, shivering in the chill of the castle that not even thick curtains could fully stifle. She slipped under her covers and Captain Jack settled on her chest, his low purr vibrating through her, and a slow smile spread over her face.

ΘΣ

Rose flopped down next to the Doctor, who was firmly settled in their alcove in the library, piles of books surrounding him like valley walls. "God, I dunno why I was expecting the first week of classes to be easier. You'd think I'd have learned my lesson after September." He shot her a small smile as he rapidly scanned the moulding tome in front of him, and she leaned over and bumped his shoulder with her own. "Doctor? What're you up to?"

He paused and put the book down, pulling out a piece of parchment and a quill—yet another of Everard's Everlasting Quills, Rose was amused to see, and as close to breaking as every other one she'd seen him with—and scribbled a quick note. _We're being monitored. _Her eyes widened and he spoke, his voice falsely teasing. "Some of us actually do our work, Miss Tyler."

"Yeah? When? Fifteen minutes before it's due?" She pulled out her own quill, the one she'd stolen from him (it was in much better condition, she noticed absently) and wrote on the parchment. _Who?_

"At least I finish it, unlike some people who shall remain nameless." _Not sure yet. Feels like an Auror's spell, but something's different._

"'S not my fault you didn't meet me here last night like we agreed." She shot him a glare and he winced, dropping the quill and running a hand through his hair.

"I _am_ sorry about that, Rose. Professor Slughorn's still mad at me about _Hogwarts: A History_, and he's had me cleaning out the cauldrons with a scrub brush."

Her eyebrows drew together. "Wait, how did he find out about that?" Then she groaned. "Koschei."

"Precisely." The Doctor sighed and leaned back, balancing his chair on the back legs. "I should've known my bag was booby-trapped. Getting it back from him was far too easy. I found out _why_ that was when the bottom split open right in front of ol' Sluggie, dropping his precious book that it apparently took him fourteen years to find onto the far-from-cushiony floor." He paused. "Turning that shade of purple really can't possibly be healthy for a man his age."

Rose frowned suddenly. "Wait, how come Slytherin didn't lose points?"

"We prefer to think of… alternative methods of punishment."

She huffed. "That's cheating!"

He smirked at her, his dark eyes gleaming. "I prefer to think of it as practical." Rose rolled her eyes and smacked him in the arm, and he pouted at her. "Well, if you're going to be like that, I have work to do." He picked up his quill. _Don't go yet—I think I've almost got the tracking spell figured out. _

She let out an exaggerated breath. "I do, too, so you won't get rid of me that easily." Her voice had lowered by the end, and he scowled and started writing.

_I find your lack of faith disturbing._

Rose snorted and covered it with a cough, tugging the parchment away from him. _Star Wars? Really?_

He leaned over, scratching away in his messy cursive. _What? It's a classic! Dad and I watch 'em every Christmas hols._

_Of course you do. Now, hush. I actually do have a lot of homework to do._

The Doctor leaned forward and landed with a thump, pulling his old book back in front of him. "Well, if you insist."

ΘΣ


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

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The next Saturday, Rose woke up to a slamming door. Hermione stormed in, her hair almost alive with her anger. "Those stupid, selfish, _arrogant_ people!"

Donna pulled her curtains open with a yawn. "Gee, Hermione, tell us how you really feel."

Ginny poked her head out of the bathroom, combing her hair. Her Quidditch Gryffindor Captain's robes were lying crumpled on the floor, still damp from practice. "What is it?"

Hermione groaned and paced in front of her bed, her wand clenched tightly in her hand. It was trailing blue sparks as she walked. "Lucius Malfoy is insisting on throwing a Valentine's ball to celebrate the 'remarkable and successful reconstruction of the great school of Hogwarts'. More like he's trying to bribe people into forgetting that he was a Death Eater."

Ginny frowned. "How can he do that? Professor McGonagall would never agree to something so frivolous, not when things are still so difficult."

"It's not her decision, apparently, and he seemed _so _happy to be able to say that. I hope whoever he paid to get his chair on the Board of Governors back will choke on their own spit."

Rose's eyebrows shot up. "Blimey, that's a bit harsh, isn't it?"

The older girl stiffened. "He stood by and _watched_ as his insane, murderous sister-in-law took her collection of knives to me, and now he wants us to host his little party as a 'gesture of peace'."

Rose blanched. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

Hermione sighed and sat on her bed, her shoulders slumping heavily. "Not many people do."

Ginny pulled on a warm jumper, glaring out the window. "Why in Merlin's name is he bothering? Draco doesn't even go here any longer—and good riddance."

Hermione snorted. "He must've fit in at Durmstrang without any problem, if what Victor told me is accurate."

Ginny's shoulders tensed a little, even if her smile stayed on. "Oh, yes. How is Victor?"

Her chin went up. "Doing well. He heard about Harry's story, and he's been talking about giving younger kids flying lessons to help them play Quidditch."

Ginny blinked, her surprise outweighing her suspicion. "Really? That's brilliant. I didn't know he knew that much about Harry."

"Well…" Hermione looked down, blushing, and Donna grinned.

"Oh, of course."

Ginny's eyebrows shot up. "What're you blushing for?"

Hermione mumbled the answer, and Ginny leaned forward. "What was that?"

"I said, he knows I'm afraid of flying, okay? He also wants to be a flying coach so more kids won't be frightened of it, like me." Ginny and Donna looked at each other and started snickering, and Rose winced.

"How'd he find out about that?"

Hermione sighed. "I went to visit him over hols, and he offered to fly me around the mountains."

Ginny frowned. "Wait, when did you visit him?"

Hermione raised her chin. "After New Year's."

She groaned. "Does Ron know about this?"

"Why d'you think we had that row?" She pulled her hair back, twisting it into a loose knot without thinking. "He can't dictate who I'm friends with just because he feels inadequate."

The tall redhead winced. "I don't know if that's the best way to handle it—"

"If he can't trust me, that's his problem."

Ginny stepped closer. "And you think jumping on a portkey to visit ex-boyfriends will help that?"

Hermione's jaw tightened, and she began making her bed jerkily. "I've had this argument with Ron already, and it didn't impress me then." She grabbed her bag. "I've got a meeting."

Ginny growled in frustration and headed back into the bathroom, and Donna and Rose exchanged a glance before heading out. Donna sighed as they stepped out of Gryffindor tower. "So, a Valentine's ball. If I didn't know who was sponsoring it, it would almost seem like fun. Well… assuming you had somebody to go with." She looked at Rose meaningfully, and Rose blushed.

"Shut up. We don't even know if it's going to happen—it didn't sound like McGonagall wanted it."

"It doesn't sound like a _bad_ idea. A spot of frivolity and a nice dress never hurt anyone."

"I guess." They walked down the stairs to the main hall, and Rose let out a relieved breath when she saw the Doctor walking up towards them. "We're off to the library, want to join us?" Donna gave her a disbelieving look, and Rose rolled her eyes. "Right. See you later, then."

"You two have fun with the great and the good—I'm off to spend my time with the living." Nearly-Headless Nick was gliding past, and he gave her a wounded look. Donna ignored him and left, and Rose took the Doctor's hand.

"So, did you ever figure out that DaDA problem you were working on?" She raised her eyebrows significantly, and he preened.

"Of course I did. Finished it with time to spare." He pulled out his wand and twisted it in an intricate pattern, leaving faint gold traces showing on both of them. "No more tracking spells."

"You sure?"

"Oh, ye of little faith." He pressed a hand to his chest, and Rose elbowed him in the side. "Fine, yes, I'm sure." He spun around, facing her as he walked backwards. "Which_ means _I can show you more of the places I've found as I've explored."

"Which you do because you don't sleep." He froze then, and she nearly walked into him.

His face was eerily blank. "Donna told you, did she?"

"Yeah, and I'm glad she did. Y'know, I always wondered how you were able to go explorin' so much and still function. Guess you're used to it, then?"

He spun around. "Let's not talk about this."

"No, Doctor, let's." She tugged him to a halt, pulling him over to a small alcove. "'Cause we're together, what, nine, ten hours a day? And yet you've never said—"

"Never said what? That I can't even close my eyes without almost throwing up from the pain and the fear? Oh, that sounds like a _brilliant_ topic."

Rose bit her lip. "Have you tried Dreamless Sleep?"

The Doctor looked aside and crossed his arms, his lips pressed together. "That stuff stopped working on me when I was three years old."

"I'm sorry." He glanced at her and nodded stiffly, and she continued. "I just… I hate the idea that you're pushing yourself so hard."

He sighed and relaxed, reaching over to take her hand. "I could spend hours lying in bed, dreading what waits behind my eyelids, or I could explore with you." His lips quirked crookedly. "It's not much of a contest to me. Now come on, the library awaits."

ΘΣ

The Doctor and Rose stepped into the candle-lit warmth of the great hall at dinnertime, separating to go to their respective tables. The mealtime murmur of voices—normally quieted by the appetites of teenage witches and wizards—was almost deafening, and Rose frowned as she slid in next to Donna. "What's happened?"

She gave her an amused glance. "Where were you, Dorothy? Professor McGonagall announced the dance at lunch."

Rose glanced at Hermione, deep in conversation with a 4th year prefect, and lowered her voice. "We snuck down to the kitchens." She frowned. "Lucius Malfoy works fast, apparently."

Ginny plopped down next to her. "I'll say. And these idiots are lapping it up." A 6th year girl glared at her, and she glared right back. "This is _Lucius Malfoy's_ party, and you're still excited about it?" The girl tossed her hair and turned back to her friends, and Ginny groaned and poked at her meal. "After everything that he's done, people are still willing to forgive him if he lets them have their fun."

Donna coughed a little and bit into her dinner, and Rose shot her an amused glance. Hermione finished her conversation and turned around, groaning in frustration. "As if it's not enough that they're forcing this on us, apparently Mr. Malfoy thinks it would be a 'show of good faith' if the Head Boy and Girl are the ones who plan it. So not only do I have classes to attend, revising to do, and all of my other duties to see to, I have to plan some pathetic charade so Lucius Malfoy can get his good press."

Rose swallowed her dinner and spoke. "Wait, they're making you plan it?"

"Every detail. I'll have to book a band. How do I even book a band? Oh, this is ridiculous."

"I might be able to help you with that."

Hermione gave her a skeptical look. "Oh? You in contact with many Wizarding bands, are you?"

"No, but who says they have to be human?"

She raised her eyebrows. "What are you thinking? I know the merpeople sing, but they're not really into public performances."

"No, that's not what I meant. There's this room, deep in the dungeon. The Doctor and I were there the night I—well. We were there a while ago. It's full of ensorcelled instruments. All it takes is one spell, and they make some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard."

Hermione's eyes widened. "You found DeMorsay's music room? I've heard about that place—there are mentions here and there in some of the older Hogwarts histories—but I didn't know it still existed."

Rose nodded. "It's still there, and the instruments are still in perfect condition."

"Do you think you could lead me there? The spellwork they did on the room is supposed to be fascinating, augmenting the acoustics without interfering with the precise conditions for storage." Donna snickered, and Hermione frowned. "What?"

"You are _such_ a nerd."

She scowled. "Oh, do shut up."

"What? I didn't say it was a _bad_ thing. After all, look at the Doctor. I love him to bits, and I don't understand half of what he says." She turned to Rose. "Speaking of, if this dance thing is a go, I'd advise asking him yourself. He'll convince himself that you'd never want to go with him, so he most likely won't ever bring it up."

Rose wrinkled her nose. "You're probably right about that, but who says I want to go?"

"Oh, come on. You've got a boy that adores you. Why wouldn't you want to go?" Ginny snorted sourly, and Donna pursed her lips at her. "Well, other than that. And besides, it's going to happen anyway. Why not enjoy it?" Ginny and Hermione's eyes met, and they sighed. Donna frowned. "What?"

Ginny laughed a little, a short sound. "Nevermind."

The hair prickled on the back of Rose's neck, and she turned. Koschei was staring at her, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. She scowled at him, and he smirked and turned back to his friends. Despite herself, she shivered, and Donna glanced at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin'." The older girl raised an eyebrow, and she forced a smile. "I'm sure it's nothin'. So, you going to ask David Morgan?"

Donna blushed deeply and turned to stare at the Gryffindor boy, and Rose ducked her head and finished her dinner. She was sure it was nothing.

Wasn't she?

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	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

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Rose shifted closer to the Doctor, pulling her blanket more tightly around her shoulders. It was freezing cold up on the Astronomy tower, the icy wind diving through all their layers to dig into her skin. She spoke, her teeth chattering. "You sure this is the best spot? Not, say, inside?"

He gave her a tolerant look. "No better place to see the shift of Jupiter, Rose. Come on, check it out."

She leaned forward, closing one eye tightly as she peered into his ramshackle telescope. She let out a soft breath. "Blimey, 's beautiful."

"Yeah. It is." His voice was low and rough and Rose looked up, blushing. He was staring at her, his eyes pitch-black in the shadowy starlight. She swallowed nervously. They were spending more time together than ever, but they hadn't kissed since they were interrupted on the train. She licked her lips absently, a slow warmth flowing through her veins as his eyes darted down to her mouth and stayed there.

He cleared his throat. "You don't… ah… you don't want to miss Europa's descent."

Rose let out a deep sigh, a crystalline cloud that dissipated around her face. She marked the path on her star chart and rolled it up, slipping it into her pack with the others. "That's done, then. Come on, let's go inside."

He frowned, looking hurt. "Don't you want to watch some more?"

"Right now, what I want is to get some hot chocolate from the kitchen and then to head off to bed."

He tugged on the tripod holding up his telescope, shivering in the night wind. "Well, I suppose hot cocoa does sound rather good about now."

"'Course it does." She slung her bag over her shoulder and took his hand, though a pair of warm gloves separated their skin. She pulled open the doorway and jumped, ducking back against his chest. A small globe of light was bobbing drunkenly through the air in front of them, ducking and weaving through the dim light of the stairwell. She frowned and stepped forward, peering around the tiny fairy-light as it staggered around. "What _is _that?"

The Doctor leaned forward behind her, his breath huffing out in a laugh that played against her skin. "Oh, blimey, Martha told me about that. That's Jeff Llewelyn's work. He was trying to charm them into lights for the dance, but apparently Charms isn't his strong suit. They've been bobbing around the castle for a few days now." He sniffed as they walked down the stairs, and she could picture him wrinkling his nose behind her. "Seems like a lot of fuss for nothing, really."

"Is that so? I was thinking of going."

He paused, and when he spoke his voice was a little strained. "Well. Have fun, then."

She glanced over her shoulder at him, her eyebrows lifted in amusement. "I was actually hoping to go with you."

He stumbled, catching himself on the wall. "Really?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Yes, really. What, did you think I'd want to go with anyone else?"

"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not exactly popular."

She spun around to face him, blocking the exit of the stairwell. "In case _you_ hadn't noticed, I don't exactly care. Besides, if you've forgotten the train, you should know I don't just go around kissin' anyone."

He chuckled nervously and tugged on his earlobe. "Well, I'd hope not. Plenty of mixed signals, right there."

"Really? Mixed signals like kissing me back and then never mentioning it again?" She paused, and her face fell. "Or do you just not want to think about that?"

His jaw dropped. "Not want to—Rose, do you honestly think I've been able to think of anything else?"

She lifted her chin. "Well, considerin' it's been a month and nothin's happened, yes."

He flushed. "Not because I don't want it to."

"Really? Could've fooled me."

"Rose, that's not it at all. It's just—" He broke off and ran a hand through his hair, collapsing back to sit on the stairs. He stared at his scuffed green trainers and spoke, his voice low. "You already mean so much to me. If we were…" he broke off, staring at his hands. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath, then looked up at Rose. "What happens when Koschei decides to go after you then?"

She stepped closer to him, resting her hands on his knees. "We face up to 'im. I'm not interested in living in fear of one miserable little git, an' you shouldn't be either. After all, it's been weeks, an' he hasn't done anything."

"That's what I'm afraid of, Rose. This is just the calm before the storm."

"A squall, maybe. Nothin' you an' I can't handle." She sat next to him, peeling off her gloves to take his hands in hers. "You can't keep lettin' him define you, Doctor. You're more than what he makes of you."

He laughed bitterly. "Oh, no? From the first time we met, he's been obsessed with keeping me under his thumb. The very idea that an orphan with no idea of his background could be in Slytherin offends him, and my beating him in pretty much every test we ever took just makes it worse."

"Then that's his problem, not yours."

The Doctor snorted. "He's made it mine."

"God, are you always this defeatist?" He gave her a confused look, and she rolled her eyes. "You could run rings around 'im when it comes to magic. You don't have to be afraid of him."

"_You_ do."

"No, I don't. 'Cause I can take care of myself, Doctor, and I'm not about to let him get away with doin' whatever he wants to me."

The Doctor bounded to his feet, his hair bristling with angry energy. "You think I let him _get away_ with how he treats me?"

"I know you do."

"Well, you're—" he paused and took in Rose's almost hopeful expression. He frowned. "You _want_ me to be angry?"

Rose let out a shaky breath. "It's better than just acceptin' that he's going to hurt you."

He shook his head quickly. "He almost never hurts _me_."

"Doctor, you've got to stop worryin' about me. I know how to take care of myself." He snorted, and she stood up and poked him in the chest. "I _do_."

He scowled. "I'll believe it when I see it."

Rose raised an eyebrow dangerously, and moments later her wand was in her hand. With three quick movements, the Doctor was plastered against the wall, his arms bound to him and his mouth gagged. She crossed her arms, tapping her wand against her shoulders warningly. "I'm almost tempted to leave you there. How Donna puts up with you, I have no idea." He mumbled something in reply, and she cocked her head. "Sorry, didn't catch that. Must've been the gag." His shoulders slumped, and she released him, smirking a little. "What was that?"

"I _said_, she doesn't. And you didn't need to go that far. That wall was cold."

"That's what you get for thinkin' I need protecting all the time."

He scowled. "Fine, point made. You're a very capable and terrifying witch, and I live in fear of the moments when you turn your anger onto me."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Because sarcasm helps everything. Now come on, let's get some cocoa. I actually have to get up in the morning."

ΘΣ

She stumbled down to breakfast the next Saturday—the morning of the dance. Hermione had five lists hanging in the air in front of her, and she was frowning in concentration. She glanced over at Rose as she sat down, hair a tangled mess and clothes askew. "Thanks for leading me to the music room—that's one thing off the list."

Rose yawned. "Isn't this place supposed to be decorated already?"

The older girl's jaw tightened. "Decorations are Jeffrey's business, despite the fact that he apparently barely scraped by in Charms. I offered to take over for him, but he insisted he could do it." Seven wizards and witches in midnight blue robes entered the Great Hall as she spoke, glancing around themselves with a professional air. Hermione rose. "What on…?"

Jeffrey Llewelyn stood up and walked over to them. He was a slight boy, his Hufflepuff colors clashing dreadfully with his straw-blonde hair. "Ah, good, you're here. Now, this'll be the main site for this evening, so I want you to concentrate on this area—other locations might be nice afterwards, but this is the main work."

Hermione strode over to them, a false smile on her lips. "I'm sorry, could I borrow him a moment?" The leader of the group, a silver-haired witch with caramel-colored skin, nodded dismissively. She dragged him aside, and Rose leaned forward to listen. "_What_ are you doing?"

"Taking care of the decorations, like we agreed. Since I am apparently so utterly lacking in Charms, I decided to go to people who knew what they were doing." He sent her an angry glare at that, and Rose winced for him. Hermione _could_ be a little dismissive when she was upset.

"Yes, but professional decorators? How in Merlin's name do you think Hogwarts is going to pay for this?"

"I don't think it will. Hogwarts isn't paying for them. I contacted Mr. Malfoy, and he's taking care of it."

She stepped back, blanching a little. "Lucius Malfoy sent these people?"

Jeffrey gave her an odd look. "No, he's just paying for them. My mum recommended them."

The doors flew open and Celeste Hopkins stormed in, heading directly over to the Head Boy and Girl. "What do you think you're doing?"

Jeff's shoulders tightened. "I think I'm taking care of my share of the duties for tonight. So if you'd let me get back to my work, Auror Hopkins?"

He left, and she spun to face Hermione. "And I suppose you think giving a troupe of unknown witches and wizards the run of the place is a good idea? We haven't even gotten a chance to give them background checks yet."

"Then go do that. I've got enough on my plate, and before you start yelling at me, I'd suggest you go talk to the Head Boy." Celeste huffed and left, and Hermione sat down with a sigh, poking discontentedly at her cold eggs. "I can't _wait_ until this day is over."

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	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

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Rose stared into the mirror and adjusted her dress. Shireen had convinced her to buy it a year ago, but she'd never gotten a chance to wear it until now. It was a rich burgundy red, the fitted strapless bodice hugging her figure before flowing out into a wide, knee length skirt. Ginny had helped her transform the small crinoline that came with it, lengthening it until it poked out from beneath the skirt and coloring it a deep gold. An antique golden locket from her grandmum Prentice sat in the hollow of her throat, and her hair was set in loose curls around her shoulders. She bit her lip anxiously, then winced and fixed her crimson lipstick.

Donna poked her head into the bathroom. "Oi, you almost done? Other people might need the facilities, you know." She paused and whistled, her green eyes widening. "Blimey, you look beautiful!"

Rose blushed and looked down. "Thanks. You're lookin' pretty gorgeous, yourself."

She turned crimson and tucked her hair behind her ears. She was wearing an old-fashioned empire-waist gown, the bodice made of a deep purple velvet and the skirt a lavender chiffon. "You think so?"

"I know so." Rose winked at her. "David Morgan's a lucky bloke."

Donna opened her mouth to reply and yelped, digging her hand into her pocket suddenly and yanking out the glowing silver key on its chain. She peered at it and grimaced, throwing it on the counter in disgust. "Oh, that is _enough_. Soon as I see him, I'm telling that idiot that he needs to make you one of those keys himself. I'm not some bloody owl." Rose was staring at her, blinking, and she pursed her lips and thrust the key at her. "It's for you."

_Tell Rose to get down here already. I've been waiting for ages._

Rose rolled her eyes and tossed it on the counter, grabbing her gold silk wrap and slipping her wand in her pocket. "I'd better head down before he starts something on fire. The loo's all yours."

"Thanks. Later!"

The Doctor was waiting outside Gryffindor tower, slouched against the wall and tugging on his collar. Rose's breath caught at the sight of him, a slender silhouette of black and white against the iron-grey stonework of the walls. Then she saw his feet, and couldn't keep the smirk from her face. "Nice shoes, Doctor."

He straightened guiltily, pulling his hands from his pockets. "Well, black tie, black trainers. I thought it'd fit—blimey." His eyes widened as he caught sight of her, and she smiled mischievously and spun a little, her skirt flaring out with the motion.

"D'you like it?"

His mouth worked soundlessly before he cleared his throat, putting on an amused expression despite the blush that still reddened his face. "Bit literal, don't you think?"

"Oh, shut up." She shifted the wrap around her shoulders and moved to take his arm, looking up in surprise when he jumped away from her. "Doctor, what…?"

"I almost forgot—here." He reached into his voluminous pockets and pulled out a small corsage, a burgundy and gold daylily pinned to a thick golden ribbon. With his other hand, he tugged on his earlobe. "This is a Muggle thing, right? They showed something like it on one of Donna's shows. I, um, I asked Donna what colours you were wearing."

"It's perfect, Doctor." She held out her hand and he tied it on her carefully, letting his long fingers caress her wrist.

He blinked and swallowed, then looked up and thrust his elbow at her. "On to the dance, then?"

She took his arm and beamed up at him. "Lead on, Sir Doctor."

He grinned. "Sir Doctor. I like the sound of that. Well, then! Onwards and upwards, Dame Rose! Or actually sideways and down the stairs, but you know what I mean." He led them off, chattering about the historical roots of honours system, and Rose followed him with a smile.

ΘΣ

The doors to the Great Hall creaked open, and she gasped. The whole place had been transformed—a cloud of fairy lights drifted high in the air, their golden glow mingling with the diamond-bright stars that glittered from the ceiling. Small swarms of them circled in intricate patterns above the small, round tables set along the side of the hall as living chandeliers, and the haunting melodies of the animate orchestra echoed through the hall. A riot of ivy covered the stone walls and wrapped around the pillars, and some students had already taken to the marble-paved dance floor.

The Doctor whistled. "Whoever they paid to do the decorating, it was worth it." He peered up at the glowing chandeliers as they walked past. "I wonder what spell they're using to keep them in formation?"

"Is that really what you're going to focus on?" He blinked down at her, and she grinned and took his hands. "Dance with me?"

He huffed and rolled his eyes, but the upwards twitch at the corners of his mouth gave him away. "Well, if you _insist._"

Some time later, wrapped in his arms, Rose gave him a tongue-touched grin. "Since when did you dance?"

"Since I was a kid." He smiled softly, remembering. "Dad and Mum used to dance together in the kitchen, and I badgered Dad into teaching me how. He still claims he won her heart with his foxtrot."

She sighed a little. "Your dad sounds wonderful."

"He is, Rose. And he'd love you." He paused, breaking their rhythm and bumping into the couple next to them. His eyes were wide. "I mean, um…"

She bit her lip. "It'd be nice to meet him someday."

His eyes shot to hers and he smiled shyly. "That would be nice, yeah." He lifted a hand to touch her face, his fingers brushing against her lip. She made a quiet noise, a hum somewhere between curiosity and approval, and he blushed. "You'd—ah—your lipstick was smudged a little."

Rose chuckled breathlessly. "Can't have that."

The Doctor glanced to the side. "I'm feeling a bit thirsty. Drink?"

She sighed. "That'd be lovely, ta."

He led them off the dance floor, giving her hand a squeeze before heading over to the punch bowl. Rose leaned against the ivy and let her wrap fall loose around her shoulders, enjoying the chilly press of the leaves behind her. Donna flashed by on the dance floor, wincing away from the stomping feet of David Morgan, and Rose grinned. Hermione was pacing around the outskirts of the room, scanning the whole party, and Ginny was nowhere to be seen. Rose schooled her face into seriousness as Hermione's gaze passed over her—she'd run into Ginny earlier in the day, when the tall redhead was planning her escape route from the castle for the time of the dance. Apparently Harry was planning on meeting her in Hogsmeade, and then they were going to portkey away.

A lanky figure moving carefully against the wall caught her eye, and Rose turned. It was one of the blue-clad decorators, a tall, skinny man in loosely fitted robes. He was staring out at the students, and she frowned. A moment later, and he nodded—the student he'd been looking at was Koschei.

The Doctor approached, carrying two tall, skinny flutes of fizzing liquid, and she moved closer to him. "Thanks." The decorator slipped out a small doorway and as she took a sip, Koschei followed. Rose frowned and set her drink down, catching the Doctor's hand.

"Rose?"

"Let's go—I just saw one of the decorators go off with Koschei." She lowered her voice. "One of the decorators that the Aurors didn't have any warning about until this morning."

His face hardened, and he set his drink down with a clank. "Right. Lead on."

They slipped out as the music changed, the flurry of movement on the dance floor covering their exit. Rose paused outside the door, grimacing at the clack of her golden heels on the stone floor. She stepped out of them and shivered at the chill on her bare feet. "Wait just a mo', yeah?" Biting her lip in concentration, she moved her wand in a deliberate movement and sighed in relief as the heel shrank and her shoes were transfigured into a sensible pair of flats. She stepped back into them and caught the Doctor's hand, tugging at him. "Come on, they can't have gotten far."

They were in one of the lesser-used hallways leading off from the Great Hall—the Doctor whispered that it was from the days before house elves at Hogwarts, and Rose shushed him. He caught her arm suddenly and pulled her into an alcove, and they both caught their breaths. A set of footsteps was coming from behind them, and soon Martha came into view. She paused and pursed her lips. "All right, I know you're around here somewhere. I saw you leave the dance. With as much sneakin' around as you do, Doctor, you'd think you'd be better at hiding it." The Doctor let out a breath and stepped out, and she raised an eyebrow at him. "Snogging in alcoves, Doctor? Really?"

Rose stepped out behind him. "We're not snogging, Martha—we're following Koschei. He just left the dance, one of the decorators with him."

Her gaze sharpened, and she straightened her shoulders. "Which way did he go?"

"'M not sure—we didn't follow him right away."

Her jaw tightened. "I know these halls. He's probably headed down for the next junction—I've caught several Slytherins there, and they always seem to think they're the only one who knows about it. Follow me, and be quiet."

They fell in line behind her, creeping down the hallway. A few minutes later, the Doctor raised a hand and gestured for them to stop. Rose and Martha came closer to him, and he spoke in a hurried whisper. "He's got a proximity charm set up around the next corner—good thing I know my way around them. We'd better vanish, though."

Martha nodded. "Good idea."

He muttered the disillusionment charm on all three of them, and Rose shivered as she felt the familiar trickle down her shoulder blades. The Doctor's hand caught hers and his fingers entwined tightly with hers, and she followed his lead as he lead them forward. A muttered charm and a flash of orange light and he pulled her forward, hissing for Martha to follow them. Once they stepped through the proximity charm they could hear Koschei's voice.

"I'm telling you, this will solve your problem. I've checked and double-checked the research, and this will give you what you need."

The voice that responded was rough and angry. "If you are incorrect, it will not be well for you."

Rose could almost hear Koschei's smirk as he spoke. "It's a good thing I'm correct, then."

The other person laughed, and it was far from a happy sound. "Well, then. You'd better get to work."

Koschei choked a little, clearing his throat immediately. "What, me?"

"Unless you think there will be a problem."

"No, none at all. I hardly think Hogwarts is the best location for this, though."

"Too much time has passed, and the hour of the rite draws near. We must find the heir before it is too late."

"Very well, then. You've got the… ingredients?"

"Do not waste them, boy."

"I wouldn't dream of it." There was a small hiss, and the scent of burnt skin wafted through the air. The Doctor's hand tightened on Rose's as Koschei cried out in pain and surprise. "What was that for, you cretin?"

"This is no laughing matter, young Rosier. Our Lord's fate is in your unworthy hands—"

"If I'm so unworthy, then you can do the spell yourself." The silence enveloped them for a moment, and he snorted. "I thought so. Now back off and let me do my work."

Small clinks and rough scraping sounds echoed through the still air of the passageway, and Koschei began to chant.

The Doctor's grip on Rose's hand—already tight—became a vise. She flinched, and felt him lean closer to her, his breath hissing against her hair. "That's my spell. Rose, they're using my spell!"

ΘΣ


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

ΘΣ

Martha's voice came from the air in front of them. "Wait, what spell is that?"

"It's a kind of a magical DNA spell. If they're using that, then they _will _find the heir—whether or not he or she wants to be found."

Her breath hissed in between her teeth. "Stay here. I'm going to get help." She moved away and Rose felt the Doctor jump away from her, his arms reaching out. "What are you doing?"

"I've got to get you out of the ward. If you'd just left, they'd know."

"Fine. But _hurry_." He muttered the charm again and the air flashed orange momentarily, and she sighed out her thanks before Rose could hear her footsteps hurrying off.

She held out her arm and the Doctor bumped into it again, trailing his fingers down until he could clasp her hand. Rose tugged on it and pulled him closer. "How long will this take?"

"Not as long as we need."

"Let's interrupt them, then."

"Rose, I'm not going to chance it."

She snorted softly. "Why not? They're just two people."

His hand moved up to grip her shoulder and he hissed in her ear, "One of which is a Death Eater, and most likely spent time in Azkaban. No, Rose. I'm not going to risk it."

"Then we let them finish what they started?"

"Until somebody else gets here, yes."

"But that's—"

"I'm _not_ going to risk you like that, Rose."

She muttered a phrase and felt the muffling thickness of a sound ward raise around them. "'Risk' me? Doctor, what about the rest of the world? Any rite the Death Eaters are _this_ eager to complete can't mean anything good."

"And you think getting yourself killed will help any—" he broke off as a pulse of magic thrummed through the air, setting his teeth on edge and raising the hairs on Rose's arms. "That's not supposed to happen yet."

"What isn't?" The raspy voice came from behind them, and they spun to see Professor Snape standing behind them, panting for breath.

Rose's jaw dropped. "What are you doing here?"

"Who do you think set that monitoring spell, foolish girl? Now are you going to unveil yourselves, or shall I?"

"Oi!"

The Doctor frowned as he melted them back into view. "But I broke that spell!"

Snape pinched the bridge of his considerable nose. "I weep for our future. It's the first rule of manipulation, Mr. Mott—let your target think they have what they want." He scowled at them. "Now you can stop with the meaningless questions and tell me what I need to know."

Another pulse throbbed through the air, and the Doctor flinched. "_That_. That's not supposed to be happening yet."

Rose elbowed him. "Maybe try explainin' what 'that' is." Snape snorted in amusement as the Doctor scowled at her.

"It's akin to a DNA test, but expanded to also deal with the magical essence of the wizard or witch involved. Unless… of course. Oh, how could I be so thick?"

She pursed her lips. "You wanna share with the class, Doctor?"

"They aren't just looking for Voldemort's heir. They have the other half, as well. That's why it was triggered so much sooner than I had anticipated."

The spell pulsed again, and Rose frowned. "The other half…?"

Snape sighed. "The mother." His eyes narrowed. "Whoever she was, this didn't happen with Voldemort's permission."

The Doctor ran a hand through his hair. "So how in Merlin's name did it happen?"

The older man's jaw tightened. "I intend to find out."

Another pulse, and Rose frowned. "That was closer together than before."

The Doctor nodded distractedly. "As the spell works through the genetic permutations, the pulses will become more frequent. You'll know when it finds the right combination."

Snape snarled, "They won't." He stepped around the corner, breaking through the proximity charm and Rose's sound ward. A nearly feral cry came from the Death Eater, and Snape's voice rolled around the corner to them. "Rodolphus. I might've known."

The Doctor shook his head. "I'll have to ask him how he does that sometime."

Rose threw him an annoyed glance as she followed Snape around the corner. "_Not_ the time."

Koschei focused on them as they rounded the corner, his eyes wide and his lips pulled back in a snarl. Snape was dueling with Rodolphus Lestrange, the spells passing back and forth in a blinding flurry of light. He pulled out his wand, stepping around the diagram sketched on the floor. Another pulse echoed through them, and he snapped a spell in their general direction. The Doctor pulled Rose away before the hissing purple light could hit, and they both stumbled into the wall. Koschei shot a glance at the dueling pair in black and snapped out, "Lucy!"

_Pulse_

The blue-eyed house-elf who had stolen the Doctor's bag popped into existence, bowing. "Yes, Master?"

"Out. _Now_."

_Pulse_

"Sorry, that isn't going to happen." Koschei spun at Hermione's voice, sending an orange spell crackling through the air. She dodged easily, and Sarah Jane Smith and Martha came running around the corner to join her, panting.

Koschei snarled and sent more spells at them, glaring at his house-elf. "Let's go, you pathetic creature!"

_Pulse_

"Told you, that isn't going to happen." A waist-high house-elf stepped out from behind Hermione, glaring at Lucy, and she sent him a very false smile. "Hogwarts elves tend to dislike it when others encroach on their territory, you see."

_Pulse_

The elf snarled and launched itself at Lucy. "The Rosier elf will leave NOW!"

_Pulse_

She shrieked and tried to pop out before it could reach her, but no matter how many times she gestured, she stayed firmly in place. The Hogwarts elf grabbed her shoulders and vanished, and Martha and Hermione managed to bind Koschei and pocket his wand. Sarah Jane had joined Snape, and as Koschei was restrained they managed to knock out Rodolphus.

_Pulse_

_Pulse_

_Pulse_

The diagram Koschei had sketched out lit up, and a wave of magic exploded from it. It flooded through all of them, leaving a harsh buzz like the air before a storm. Hermione tugged on Koschei's ropes. "He's still restrained, at least—" she gasped.

The Doctor was glowing a brilliant gold.

ΘΣ


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

ΘΣ

He stared down at himself, his eyes wide. "No. No, this is wrong. I must've miscalculated the spell, his diagrams weren't right—"

Koschei began to laugh, a harsh, grating noise. "Oh, this is _too_ perfect! Of course it's you!" He leaned forward, his eyes burning madly. "You like to pretend you're better than us, Doctor, but look at what you are. Your bones, your flesh—it's _all theirs._"

Snape jerked his wand at Koschei, and a thick gag slapped itself around his mouth.

Hermione had stepped forward to inspect the diagram, and she hissed out a surprised breath. On one side was a small bowl of viscous blood, but on the other—on the other, a long lock of curly black hair lay. She raised her eyes to stare at Snape. "This isn't from who I think it is, is it?"

His eyes widened, and he spun to stare at Rodolphus. "What did you do?"

The Doctor was staring at his glowing hands, shaking. "The spell was wrong. The spell was _wrong._" Rose moved forward to touch his shoulder and he flinched away from her.

Sarah Jane Smith sighed and tucked her wand in her pocket, suddenly looking years older. "It wasn't wrong, John."

Rose spun to glare at her. "You _knew?_"

"I'm the one who arranged for him to join his family, Miss Tyler." She moved her gaze to the Doctor's face, her face soft with compassion. "His _real _family."

The Doctor's mouth worked for a moment before he got the words out. "What do you—"

"Enough." Snape's low growl broke through the Doctor's nervous voice, and he glared around at them. "This isn't a story for stray ears, and I'm sure Auror Hopkins would appreciate hearing about tonight's happenings." He spun to face Sarah Jane. "I'd suggest finding a secure location before you continue, Ms. Smith."

She nodded at him. "Good point, Severus. Mr. Mott, if you would join me in my office?"

Rose made a small sound of distress, and the Doctor looked dazedly at her before blinking and straightening his shoulders. "Rose comes along."

"Mr. Mott, the fewer people who know about this, the safer you are."

He took her hand in his own—still glowing brightly—and lifted his chin. "Where I go, she goes."

Snape rolled his eyes. "If the boy insists on being a fool, you might as well indulge him. We have more important things to worry about."

Sarah Jane's lips twitched, and she jerked her head at Rose and the Doctor. "Mr. Mott, Miss Tyler. You might want to stand still for a moment." They did, and she waved her wand over them. A thick haze sprang up around them like a heat wave, and Hermione and Martha blinked and looked aside. "No one should notice you now. Come along, then."

The walk up to her office was quick and tense, and Rose's hand stayed wrapped firmly in the Doctor's the whole time. The door clicked shut behind them, and Sarah Jane released the perception ward before speaking. She sighed and ran a hand through her thick hair. "Tea, anyone?"

The Doctor still looked ill, and Rose bit her lip. "No, thanks."

Sarah Jane peered at him. "John?"

He blinked and stared at her. "No."

"Right." She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and leaned against her desk, crossing her arms. She gestured at the small couch in the corner. "Sit, please." As they did—the Doctor stiffly, Rose with her eyes still on him—she stared at the floor. "This is an old story, and one that not many people know about. I assume you've noticed how many recent Hogwarts graduates have been applying to join the Aurors?" They nodded and she echoed them, nodding thoughtfully to herself. "There were about five times as many signing up by the end of Voldemort's first war. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was accepting as many as they could, because most Aurors tended to have a short lifespan in those days. They needed the numbers, though, and I was one of the rookies. Then Voldemort vanished, his power structure with him, and the Department was suddenly left with a surplus of eager recruits, most of which didn't fit their standards." She ran a hand over her face. "We were so desperate to fight the good fight, but the war was over. The only thing the Head of the M.L.E. could think to do was to send us off to Azkaban to guard the Death Eaters that the senior Aurors had been steadily picking up."

She grimaced. "When the Lestranges were brought in, Mags bought us a keg of butterbeer to celebrate. We were so sure it was over. We had no idea what they had planned." She paused. "It's true that Barty Crouch, Jr. was one of the first prisoners to ever escape from Azkaban itself. He wasn't the first to break out, though. One of the guards, Phillip Galmotte, was an undercover Death Eater. He'd been converted right before Voldemort's fall, and after his disappearance Galmotte decided to stay incognito. Bellatrix recognized his leanings and convinced him to go along with the scheme—he was a pure blood, after all, and he believed in blood strength above all else. What better way to honor Lord Voldemort than to give him an heir from a house that was fanatically pure?"

She looked up and caught the Doctor's eye. "There's a very old, very dark spell some of the oldest families have used to ensure conception. Coming from the family that she did, Bellatrix was quite familiar with it—and because Lord Voldemort had trusted them so, he'd left them with a vial of blood to be used for resurrection spells. The spells didn't work, though, and so Bellatrix decided to carry on Lord Voldemort's line. I think she meant to present an heir to him when he returned. Two years after they were first incarcerated, Galmotte had finally collected all the ingredients. He set a fire in the maximum security wing and left the supplies for the conception spell outside the fire escape route. By the time we sorted the confusion the Lestranges had already cast the spell, and Bellatrix's glamour was in place."

Sarah Jane stood and began to pace. "Wilf—your dad—had always kept a sharp eye on Galmotte, and he didn't believe that the fire was just an accident. So when Galmotte arranged for a team of Death Eaters to break into Azkaban to retrieve Bellatrix two weeks before she was due, he was already wary. We stopped their assault, at a very dear cost. Four of my colleagues were killed in the battle, along with Galmotte. Bellatrix's glamour was broken, though, and the pregnancy was revealed. The Healers found out about the father when they cast a diagnostic spell, and Warden Jones ordered them to induce labor. After you came out, he told me to leave you at the most remote orphanage I could find. But Wilf had already seen you, and his heart went out to you. You were such a tiny little thing. He convinced me to give you to him, and I've never regretted it." She paused. "He's so proud of you, John."

There was a long silence after she finished. The Doctor cleared his throat. "That explains my nightmares, at least."

Sarah Jane winced. "It wasn't until her talisman was broken that we knew about you. If we had…"

"The Dementors wouldn't have been my roommates?" She winced again, and his voice softened. "How many people know about this?"

"Outside of the people in that hallway? Only your father and I, now. Wilf told his wife when he brought you home, but no one else knew. I created a paper trail after he adopted you, saying that I left the infant at an orphanage in Wales and that he passed away three years later." She smiled, a little morbidly. "He was such a sickly child."

Rose frowned. "Wait, then how did the Death Eaters know to look for him?"

"A good question." The Doctor and Rose jerked their heads around to stare at Snape, and Sarah Jane nodded politely at him.

"Tea, Severus?"

"Black, if you will. Thank you."

She shot a small fireball under her cherry-red kettle and pulled out a small tin of tea. "Did you deal with Lestrange and Mr. Rosier?"

"Would that I could, Ms. Smith. There's an intricate trap set in both of their minds regarding this information, and by the time I'd figured out what it was, Auror Hopkins had arrived." He accepted the steaming mug with a nod and sat down on the chair she offered. "The Department of Magical Law Enforcement is far more nervous about collateral damage than the Department of Mysteries is, I've found. Pity. As for your question, Miss Tyler—I believe I know which spell Bella must have used to conceive. If she'd used the one I'm thinking of, there would've been a slight magical tether that would have told her if you had died. If she were alive, Mr. Mott, there is little doubt that she would have already found you."

Rose bit her lip. "Professor Snape, when we were listenin' in on them earlier, Rodolphus said somethin' about the 'hour of the rite drawing near'. D'you have any idea what he was talking about?"

"Nothing good, I would wager." He took a sip of tea and stared levelly at the Doctor. "There is some small mercy in Bella's arrogance. She kept her plan hidden well, Mr. Mott, and so you have a degree of anonymity." His lips quirked up. "I can only imagine what she must've went through when Lucius' call for an heir was so thoroughly denied. It's no wonder she was always groveling." He paused. "I know you delight in running riot over the rules, Mr. Mott, but these people are murderers and madmen. If you value your life, I'd suggest staying where we can look after you." He looked at Rose and raised an eyebrow. "Which would preclude your midnight excursions with Miss Tyler."

The Doctor nodded woodenly. "Right, yeah. Of course. I understand."

Sarah Jane's eyebrows drew together. "John…"

He looked up, his expression still worryingly blank. "Can I go now?"

Snape rubbed his forehead. "It would be better for you to wait for an escort, Mr. Mott."

The Doctor looked at Sarah Jane. "Can't you just cast the perception spell again?"

She frowned. "I suppose. Without me there to maintain it, it won't last all that long."

"We'll be fine." He took Rose's hand in his and stood, nodding jerkily at Snape and Sarah Jane. "You've been very… informative. Thanks."

Rose forced a small smile at the professors, her attention focused on the Doctor. "Yeah, thanks. Good night."

They left Sarah Jane's office, the Doctor's long legs eating up the distance. Rose hurried next to him, silently thanking the universe for remembering to transfigure her shoes. "Doctor, are you ever plannin' on slowing down?"

"What? Oh." He stopped and rubbed a hand through his hair, rumpling the formerly-neat style. "Sorry."

"It's okay." She bit her lip. "But are you? Okay, I mean?"

Something in him seemed to collapse at that, and Rose looked around and pulled them into an empty classroom. He leaned back against a desk and ran his hands over his face, his voice muffled. "All I wanted was to give you the perfect night. That's all. And then _this_."

She reached up and cupped his cheek. "Oi, remember who dragged who out of the Great Hall? If you're goin' to blame somebody, blame me."

"No, Rose." He began to pace, pulling painfully at his hair. "I couldn't just be happy with what I have, could I? No, I had to poke and prod until _this_ happened."

"Stop it. Doctor, this isn't your fault."

He laughed harshly. "No? Remind me again, whose spell was it that Koschei used again?"

"The spell he _stole_ from you and gave to the Death Eaters, you mean? 'Cause I don't see how that's your fault."

He snorted. "Of course you don't."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "An' what's that supposed to mean?"

His jaw tightened. "You should go, Rose."

"Oh, no you don't. What happened to 'where I go, she goes'?"

He closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring. "Get away from me, Rose. Just leave."

"If you're goin' to try to push me away just because of who you came from, I swear by Donna's frilly knickers I'll slap you so hard you'll feel it until the day you die."

The Doctor's eyes bugged out. "Rose! Ew!"

She smirked. "Got you listenin', didn't it?"

"Merlin, I'll never be able to unhear that."

"Doctor." His grimace faded, and he stared down at her. "I don't care where you come from. That spell didn't tell me anything that mattered. I already know who you are, and nothin's goin' to change that."

"Rose, my parents—"

"Were a wonderful old couple named Wilf and Lillian. It don't matter who it was that carried you. They raised you." She looked down and blushed. "An' I happen to be rather fond of the you they raised." He let out a deep breath, staring intently down at her, and she bit her lip. "Doctor—"

His lips met hers in a rush, and she made a soft squeak of surprise into his mouth. He wrapped his arms around her, the soft wool of his dress robes brushing against the bare skin of her shoulders. She smiled into his kiss and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. It could wait.

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	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Sorry it's a bit late! Real life invaded for a bit. *Shakes fist***

Chapter 24

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Donna sat down next to Rose the following morning, dark circles under her eyes and a lingering smile on her lips. "Oi, I heard something happened last night."

Rose choked on her tea and grabbed her napkin, wiping up the mess. "Where'd you hear that?"

"Oh, just some of the younger students said they saw Hermione running out with Professor Smith and Martha." The older girl's eyes narrowed. "Now you've definitely got me curious, though. What happened?"

Rose bit her lip. "Nothin'."

"Has anyone ever told you you're a rubbish liar?" She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Nah, they were probably too distracted by the Bambi eyes."

"You ever plannin' on letting me answer, there?"

Donna snorted. "Why bother? Really, though, what happened?"

"It was nothing, just Koschei causing trouble again." She smirked and nodded her head at his empty seat at the Slytherin table. "Good news is, they actually caught him this time."

"Well, it's about damn time! That miserable brat's been causing trouble since he got here."

Rose opened her mouth to respond when the doors to the Great Hall slammed open. A tall man in well-tailored robes strode down the center aisle, and Rose glanced back at the doors to see Harry Potter slink in with a reddened face, taking a seat next to Ginny at the far end of the Gryffindor table.

"Minerva, what's this I've heard about an arrest last night?" The man's voice carried throughout the room, and Professor McGonagall tightened her jaw.

"I really have no way of knowing that, Mr. Coleridge."

He put his hands down on the high table, leaning forward towards her. "Really, Minerva, you must keep me informed of these things."

"I was a bit more preoccupied with the safety of my students. Now if you're going to insist on continuing this conversation, we will have to retire to my office."

He snorted. "Oh, really, Minerva. Surely you have nothing to hide."

Her eyes narrowed. "_Now_, Phineas."

They retreated out a side door, leaving the student body murmuring behind them. Donna turned to Rose. "_Arrest?_"

"Not now, Donna." Rose caught the Doctor's eye and bit her lip. If Phineas Coleridge was as inept a leader as Ginny said, he was in terrible danger.

"Oh, no you don't. Not about something important enough to bring the head of Magical Law Enforcement to Hogwarts, and _definitely _not about something that involves my family."

"Donna." Rose put all of her focus on the older girl, staring her down. "This is something you've got to talk to the Doctor about, not me." Donna opened her mouth, and Rose winced. "Please, Donna. Just trust me on this."

She laughed uncomfortably. "Blimey, what did you two do?" Rose stayed silent, and she paled. "What did you do?"

"We… found out some things." Rose stared at her breakfast—so appetizing five minutes ago—and pushed it away in disgust. She wasn't hungry anymore.

ΘΣ

The summons came as she was muddling her way through the next week's reading for Potions, and Rose set her text down with an odd mixture of relief and trepidation bubbling in her stomach. She'd known she would be summoned from the moment Coleridge had shown up. Everyone who had been in that small corridor would be. But she couldn't let him know the truth, and she couldn't let the others tell him. The Doctor's secret wasn't his to know.

She followed Hermione in silence, her hands rhythmically clenching and relaxing. Hermione glanced over her shoulder and cleared her throat. "For what it's worth, I'm not going to tell him. About the spell's results, I mean. Nothing good could come of it."

Rose closed her eyes in relief, slumping against the wall of the revolving staircase. "Thank you."

She nodded. "It's not his fault, who his parents were." A moment later, she grimaced. "But how did that even _happen?_ Don't answer that."

Rose shook her head. "Whatever you were thinking, I can guarantee it wasn't that."

Hermione sighed. "Well, that's a relief, at least." She shuddered. "Now I don't have to think about it ever again."

They entered McGonagall's study and found her sitting regally at her desk, Phineas Coleridge in one of the chairs in front of her like a recalcitrant child. He was pouting like one, too. Martha was sitting by one of the windows, her legs crossed and her foot jigging in the air. Auror Hopkins was standing next to Harry, her wand held loosely in her hand. Sarah Jane Smith leaned against the wall and the Doctor was sitting on the same small couch as before, now shifted to face the rest of the room. Rose joined him there without speaking as Hermione took a seat across from Coleridge.

He grimaced. "Is this everyone? Goodness, Minerva, it's quite the array."

Her lips tightened. "It may be, Mr. Coleridge, but it's not everyone. Not quite yet." She looked at the fireplace. "We're still expecting the last."

The fire roared high and green, and a dark figure stepped out. Coleridge choked, and Harry's jaw dropped. "_Snape?_"

Snape winced and turned to shoot an annoyed glare at McGonagall. "You didn't tell me _he_ would be here."

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Severus, really."

Harry had paled until he was almost paper-white. "But… you're dead! I saw you die!"

Snape sneered at him. "Obviously not. Now, were we here to discuss something important, or were you going to waste my time on trivialities?"

Coleridge stood dramatically, puffing his chest out. "I would hardly consider coming back from the dead to be a triviality, sir!"

"Then it's a good thing I was never dead."

Harry still looked winded, and Hermione touched his shoulder gently. "It's a lot to take in, I know."

He spun to face her, and she bit her lip. "You _knew?_"

"Not the whole time, no." He shrugged her hand off, and she reached out to him again. "Harry, please."

Snape rolled his eyes and stood next to Sarah Jane. "Miss Granger understood it wasn't her place to tell." His eyes narrowed, and his voice was acidic. "Of course, it's not exactly news to me that you have no understanding of privacy."

"Enough." McGonagall rose to her feet, glaring at the room. "We didn't meet here to discuss perceived injuries. We are here to discuss the Death Eater that was arrested _within the school walls_."

Coleridge frowned and sat, crossing his leg. "Yes, how did that happen? For some mad reason, I had thought that security measures for this school were actually within _your_ purview."

Hermione straightened, her jaw locked tight. "He had infiltrated a decorative firm that was hired for Lucius Malfoy's Valentine's ball. Auror Hopkins did a security check after they entered the castle, and he came up clean. His glamour was top-knotch—it wasn't until he removed it to speak to Mr. Rosier that we recognized who he was."

"Ah, and here we come to it. What was a Hogwarts student doing speaking to a fugitive Death Eater?"

Auror Hopkins cleared her throat. "We believe he was looking to exchange information with them, sir."

Coleridge raised an eyebrow. "Really? What kind of information could a schoolboy possibly provide?"

The Doctor paled, his hand tightening like a vise around Rose's, and Hopkins gave him a cursory glance. "We don't know, sir. They've been mind-locked."

He pursed his lips. "Well, then get the Department of Mysteries up here, then."

Snape pulled out a small silver badge, marked with the insignia of an Unspeakable. "Who do you think it was that ascertained that they were mind-locked?"

Coleridge sniffed. "And none of you managed to hear what information Mr. Lestrange was looking for?"

There was a long pause, and Rose tightened her grip on the Doctor's hand. Martha had been biting her fingernails, and now she was determinedly looking out the window. Hermione stood next to Harry, her face cast in shadows from the fireplace. Snape and Sarah Jane were standing stiffly next to each other, and Celeste Hopkins had taken to idly twirling her wand. Rose cleared her throat. "We interrupted them before they got what they wanted. Sir."

His eyes narrowed. "Is that so?" He stood and began to pace before spinning to a stop in front of the fireplace. "Well, I suppose there's nothing to it. Harry, my boy, I must insist that you stay here under Auror Hopkins and work with her to discover this information that Lestrange was so desperate to get his hands on. Minerva, I trust you will cooperate fully with the investigation?"

Her eyes were like ice. "Mr. Potter is always welcome here, Mr. Coleridge."

"Good. Thank you." He pulled out a pocket watch. "Well, I must be off—meetings to be had, paperwork to be sorted. I'm sure you understand. Always a pleasure, Minerva."

She smiled, though her eyes were cold. "Likewise, I'm sure." Coleridge swept out of the room, and the Doctor finally loosened his grip on Rose.

Harry ran a hand through his hair, disheveling it even more, and Snape snorted. He glanced nervously at him before turning to Celeste. "Right, so. Um… witness statements?"

She raised a dark eyebrow. "Already been taken care of, Mr. Potter." She glanced at Hermione and bit back a smirk. "I'd recommend that you talk to his house elf next."

Harry groaned, and McGonagall stood, pressing her fingers to her temples. "If you have no need of us, Mr. Potter, then this meeting is adjourned." Harry nodded, at a loss for the moment, and the group got up to leave.

Snape and Sarah Jane were behind the Doctor and Rose, and he cleared his throat when they reached the bottom of the stairs. "I believe somewhere to talk in private would be useful—if I might impose on your hospitality, Ms. Smith?"

She nodded and led them back to her office, warding the door after they entered. Snape began to pace, and the Doctor tightened his grip on Rose's hand again. Snape looked up, his dark eyes sharp. "We were fortunate to have the witnesses we did, Mr. Mott. I hardly think Miss Jones is going to betray you, and Miss Granger has quite a bit of experience in evading the wishes of authority. What was revealed in that corridor must not be shared elsewhere. I've set enchantments on Lestrange and Rosier binding their tongues, and if you attempt to share the information, I will do the same to you. Coleridge can never know, both for the safety of the Wizarding World, and for your own." He ran a hand through his hair. "I've been researching what rite Lestrange could have referenced since last night, and only one makes sense: Qualis pater falis filius."

The Doctor's eyebrows drew together. "Like father, like son? But that's just an old idiom."

"Perhaps to Muggles, yes, but the origins are much darker. Wizarding society used to be deeply patriarchal, Mr. Mott—" Sarah Jane snorted in amusement—"and the obsession with the family line springs from that time. In the olden days, if the heir proved unworthy, a rite of transference was performed." He glanced at the Doctor and tightened his jaw. "In essence, the heir's self—mind, soul, whatever you want to call it—would be overwritten by the father's. This is very old magic, Mr. Mott, and it's been banned for so long that few remember that it exists. There are still books that reference it, though, in the old, old collections—collections such as the Black family library. For years, that collection was sealed away from the Death Eaters by the Fidelius charm." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then Potter and his friends decided that breaking into the Ministry was the logical course of action, and it was no longer secure."

Snape stopped, his profile lit by the afternoon sun. "I will protect you as best I can, Mr. Mott. But your safety depends on your silence." He shot Rose a glance. "That goes for you as well, Miss Tyler."

She lifted her chin. "I'll never tell."

"You might not have a choice, if we can't guard this school more closely."

Rose bit her lip. "D'you think that's likely?"

Sarah Jane cleared her throat, giving Rose an empathetic look. "It's not exactly a secret, how close you and John are."

"Then take it out." The Doctor froze beside her, but Rose forced herself to ignore him. "Make me forget, if it's that dangerous to know."

He spun to face her, his face ashen. "Rose, _no!_"

She tightened her grip on his hand, facing him with a stubborn gleam in her eyes. "If it'll keep you safe, it'll be worth it."

Snape snorted. "There's no need for the Gryffindor histrionics, Miss Tyler. Removal or alteration of memories is rarely, if ever, worth the bother. As much as it pains me to say this, it would be for the best if you keep your memories of last night. At least then you'll know what you are protecting. Now if you would excuse us, Ms. Smith and I have some strategizing to do. Until later, Mr. Mott. Miss Tyler."

The Doctor and Rose left Sarah Jane's office, and he grabbed her shoulder and moved them into an alcove. "Erase your memory? Have you gone mad, Rose?"

She scowled. "Look, if it kept you safe, it'd be worth it."

"Stop that!"

She blinked. "Stop what?"

He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at it angrily. "Stop putting yourself in danger like that! Do you have any idea what could happen if you were involved in a botched memory spell?"

"I think Professor Snape knows that he's doing, Doctor."

"That's not the point! The point is, you keep throwing yourself in harm's way. How long will it be until you get hurt?"

She tapped him gently on the shins with her foot. "Newsflash, Doctor—it happened already, I got over it. 'M not made of glass, Doctor. I can take a few knocks."

"But you _shouldn't!_" She stared at him, stunned by his outburst, and he lowered his voice and pressed his forehead against hers. "You shouldn't, Rose. Not for me."

He was silent for a long moment, just breathing, and she reached up and cupped his cheek. "Hey. I care about you, Doctor. I… I love you. And no matter what you think will happen, it's worth it if it'll keep you safe."

He stared down at her, eyes wide and disbelieving. Then he snorted, his eyes crinkling with amusement. Rose backed away, stung, and he reached out and pulled her back to him. "Oh, no no no. Don't be angry, Rose." His lips curled up against her hair. "We're quite the pair, aren't we?"

She pushed herself away from his chest, glaring up at him. "What d'you mean?"

"I mean, I'd go toss myself to the Death Eaters right now if it would keep you safe." She paled, and he brushed her hair back behind her ear. "I love you, too, you little idiot."

She cleared her throat, blinking rapidly. "Gee, thanks."

He winced. "Yeah, that didn't come out right. Sorry." His eyes softened. "You're brilliant, Rose. Absolutely brilliant." He wrapped his arms around her again, and this time she let him. His voice was muffled when he spoke against her hair. "Now please stop dashing away to confront Death Eaters."

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	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

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The next day the Doctor caught Rose's eye at dinner, wiggling his fingers at her. A small smile curved her lips as she finished, swinging her bag over her shoulder as she made her way over to the door to join him. "So, is that the new summons? Be a good Rose, come to Doctor! That's a good Rose." He choked and she bumped his arm with her shoulder. Her fingers tangled with his. "Relax, I'm just teasin'. I don't mind."

His lips went out in a full-on pout. The Doctor really was quite talented at pouting, Rose reflected, though he'd deny it heartily if she ever said anything. It was probably those giant puppy-dog eyes. "You've been spending too much time with Donna."

She giggled and didn't answer. They turned to go up to the library, and two people stepped out of the shadows to block their path. Rose frowned. "Patrick? Rajesh? What are you doing?"

Patrick snorted. "What are we doing? What are _you_ doing, spending all your time with a filthy Slytherin?"

The Doctor raised his eyebrows, rocking back on his heels. "Well I admit I might not shower _every_ day, but that hardly makes me filthy."

Patrick scowled. "What are you talking about?"

The Doctor gave him a pitying look.

Rajesh spoke up, tightening his fists. "Look, maybe you weren't here during the war, but we were. We know what the Slytherins are like, and you shouldn't be anywhere near them."

Rose's eyes narrowed. "An' so every Slytherin is the same, is that it?"

He scowled. "There's a reason they're all in the same house."

"Y'know, you're sounding a lot like the blood purists right now."

Rajesh paled, and Patrick flushed with anger. "You don't know anything. You weren't here."

"For god's sake, I was _twelve!_ It wasn't exactly my choice to leave!"

"You got it easy. And maybe you don't know what this war was about, but we do." He gestured angrily at the Doctor. "And people like him lost."

"People like who?" They all spun at the light male voice, and Harry Potter walked up behind them. Patrick and Rajesh's eyes widened as he nodded comfortably at Rose and the Doctor. "Hope you don't mind me interrupting, but Auror Hopkins suggested I talk to you two next."

Rose couldn't help smirking. "Quite all right with me. Doctor?"

He grinned and bounced on his heels. "'S fine with me."

"Right, then. We'll just go talk elsewhere." Harry pinned both the Gryffindor boys with a glare. "And for your information, it was people like John Mott here I was fighting for."

He turned and left, and Rose and the Doctor followed. He tightened his grip on her hand, and she glanced up at him and frowned. She knew that set of his shoulders, the tightening in his jaw. She leaned closer to him and spoke softly. "Look, whatever you're thinkin', I want you to stop. Them bein' idiots isn't your fault."

He stared straight ahead. "As if they'd bother you if we weren't together."

"Actually, they would. I wasn't here for the hard times, Doctor. That's enough to turn 'em all against me, even if you weren't in the picture."

He blinked and looked down at her. "But you weren't the only student who was pulled out—there were plenty more from Gryffindor who stayed with their families during the War."

Her jaw tightened. "Yeah, but I'm guessin' their families weren't a single mum from the council estates." She shrugged. "If it weren't for my dad's savings, I wouldn't be able to come here at all."

"Why would _that_ matter?"

She glanced up at him, annoyed, and blinked. He looked honestly confused. She sighed and leaned against his shoulder. "You know what, I don't understand it, either."

Harry cleared his throat. They'd reached the Auror's small temporary office, and he ushered them inside. "Have a seat." He did so himself and leaned forward. "I tried to talk with Rosier's house elf yesterday, but she wouldn't tell me anything about 'the Master'. You've known him for years, haven't you, Mr. Mott?"

The Doctor's mouth twisted. "In the same way that you know Draco Malfoy, perhaps."

Harry blinked. "Ah." He paused. "So, being in the same house didn't help?"

"Did you always get along with everyone in your house?"

Harry winced. "Point taken." He tapped his quill on his paper, twirling it absently. "So, walk me through the events of Saturday night."

"Well, there was the Valentine's ball, right? Rose and I went—we'd taken a break from the dancing when Rose noticed Koschei leaving with one of the decorators."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "And why was that noteworthy, Miss Tyler?"

She shrugged. "Hermione and I were at breakfast when Jeff Llewelyn brought in the decorators. She wasn't too happy about it, and neither was Auror Hopkins—Lucius Malfoy was paying for them, and none of them had background checks done on them yet. I knew about the Death Eaters hanging around here, so I kept an eye on them, and when one of 'em made a point of catching Koschei's eye, I thought it'd be best to follow."

He suppressed a smile. "Well, that's… enterprising."

The Doctor frowned. "If she hadn't noticed, we wouldn't have arrived in time to interrupt them."

"Right, yeah. No offense meant, Miss Tyler."

The door creaked open, and Auror Hopkins strode in. "Ah. Started without me, I see."

Harry got to his feet, frowning a little. "I thought you were going to interview Professor Snape."

She waved a hand. "I did that last night. Now, where were we?"

"Just going over the timeline." He turned back to the Doctor and Rose. "So, you followed him, and…?"

The Doctor cleared his throat. "We heard them talking about their plans, and we realized the decorator was a Death Eater. Martha was with us, so she went back to fetch help, and then Professor Snape showed up and we interrupted them."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "And you're sure you don't know what Lestrange wanted?"

Celeste coughed into her hand. "We've already ascertained that, Mr. Potter, from _all_ the witnesses. From what Mr. Snape told me, the mental barriers set up would prevent them from speaking openly about their focus."

He frowned. "How was a Hogwarts student that deeply ensorcelled?"

She shrugged. "We think it was most likely Lestrange's work. It's not clear whether Rosier knew about it or not. I believe Professor Smith was next on your list, Potter. I can finish here."

He was watching her carefully, but he nodded. "We'll meet up later to compare notes?"

"Of course, Potter."

"Well, then." He nodded at the Doctor and Rose. "It was nice to meet you both. If I have any more questions, you'll be around?"

Rose's lips quirked up. "'M not plannin' on dropping out, if that's what you're asking."

"Right." He nodded awkwardly and left, and Hopkins warded the door and sat down with a sigh.

"That was close." She glanced up at Rose. "You might want to work on your poker face, Miss Tyler." The Doctor and Rose glanced at each other, nervous, and she caught their look and let out a soft breath. "Yes, I know. And no, I'm not planning on telling." Her jaw tightened. "Snape told me about the rite yesterday. I'm not going to jeopardize this peace for anything, protocol be damned. The bastard's gone, and as long as I breathe, I'll ensure that he stays gone." She gave both of them a hard look. "As far as the rest of the world is concerned, you interrupted them before they could conduct their business." Rose nodded immediately, and the Doctor glanced at her before nodding as well. "Good. Now, the rite would have to be performed on the night of the spring equinox—this year, that falls on March 19."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "'The hour of the rite draws near'? According to whom, a turtle?"

She leaned forward. "Be serious. Lestrange has most likely been looking for the heir since Voldemort's defeat, and now he knows who you are. Snape's enchantment is the only thing keeping him from telling the Aurors exactly what it was he was looking for, and believe me, they're asking." She leaned back, watching them. "Until the equinox has passed, you must stay within these walls. We can't protect you if we don't know where you are. Now go away. I've got reports to falsify."

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	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

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The next weeks were quiet ones for the Doctor and Rose, and she felt like she would crawl out of her skin by the time this was over. Donna, hurt and confused by the Doctor's refusal to talk, in turn refused to talk to Rose. With Hermione's war-sharpened nerves, Donna's silent, accusing stare, and the Aurors that shadowed the Doctor's every move, Rose felt like she was going to go mad in short order. If it weren't for Ginny's constant, bubbling joy, the 7th year dorm would've been a miserable place to live. And if she thought she had it bad, the Doctor had it ten times worse.

"They wait outside the _bathroom_, just standing there until I'm finished." He stood and began to pace in the chilly March air, his breath clouding around him. They were outside, sitting together on a cold stone bench—or they had been, until the Doctor's restless legs got to him. "This isn't protection, it's house arrest."

Rose shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. "I'd say they're just tryin' to keep you safe, but to be honest, that's gettin' pretty old."

He winced and joined her again, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. His voice was muffled against her hair. "They've made a lot of noise about it not being my fault who my parents were, but I haven't been by myself since that night."

She closed her eyes and sighed. "They don't know you like I do. Prob'ly worried that you're all full of blood and anger and revenge or some rot like that."

He sniffed indignantly. "Well I am rather full of breakfast, but that's about the only thing right now." A stone clattered in the corner, where Hopkins' round-faced partner waited. The Doctor sighed. "I miss exploring."

She curled closer. "I know you do. But d'you really want to try to explain how important it is that we go barreling off into the forbidden sections of the castle?"

"Because we want to?"

She snorted. "Try harder, space boy." He flinched, and she could have kicked herself.

"H…how is Donna?"

Rose bit her lip. "Not talkin' to me. Not talkin' to much of anyone that I can see, other than David Morgan."

The Doctor grinned determinedly. "Well that should make her happy, at least."

"Not as far as I can tell." She looked down and cleared her throat. "She misses you."

He closed his eyes and rested his cheek against Rose's hair. "She can't see me, Rose, you know that. She'd get the whole story out of me in a moment, and I don't know what Snape would do to her."

"At worst, erase her memory of it. You're her family, Doctor, and she's hurtin', an' it's not like I can do much good."

"Yes, and what happens after he erases her memory? She'll just try to find out _again_, and he'd have to do it_ again_, and Merlin knows what would happen. It's better if I stay away from her."

Rose's voice sharpened. "What, like how you decided to stay away from me? Doctor, no matter how little you like it, we care about you, an' we want to be around you." She felt his jaw clench against her temple, and she laid a careful hand on his leg. "No matter who your birth parents were."

His voice was low and tight. "And you know for a fact that won't matter to her, Rose? That she won't flee from the very sight of me?"

Rose straightened and pulled away from him, rolling her eyes. "God, you're melodramatic." She could almost feel his offended stare burning into her, and she turned to look him straight in the eye. "'Course she won't, Doctor. She's your sister, no matter the titles. She grew up with you, watched as you dragged home all the battered and bruised creatures you could find, saw you try to heal them and fail and go out and try again. She knows you." She rested a hand on his chest. "And despite what you think, that doesn't mean she'll hate you."

Footsteps sounded in the corridor, and one of the other Aurors rushed in. "Caleb."

He straightened, walking over after glancing at the Doctor and Rose. "Yes, Ross?"

The younger Auror lowered his voice. "There's been an incident. You should come with me."

He threw the Doctor and Rose a glance before tightening his jaw and following Ross out of the room. The Doctor relaxed suddenly, leaning back with a grin. "_Finally._"

"What, did you set this up?"

"Hmm? No, I didn't. But I've been hoping something like this would happen for ages."

She grinned, her tongue poking between her teeth. "So, where are we goin', then?"

He waggled his eyebrows at her. "You'll see." He jumped up and grabbed her hand, tugging her behind him. They hurried out into the hallway, and Rose was straightening her jacket when the Doctor pulled her around the corner and down another corridor. Five minutes of dodging other students and teachers later, and he hummed in satisfaction. "There it is." They stood in front of a portrait of a red-haired maiden sitting next to an emerald-colored dragon, her hand resting on its smooth scales. A knight in gleaming armor stood behind them, his white and red tabard shining in the soft sunlight.

Rose cocked her head. "So what is this, the prequel to St. George and the Dragon?"

The maiden raised her head, her eyes flashing indignantly. "Pray do not mention that odious name." The knight scowled behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder. "Sir George, leave us. Your attentions are as unwelcome as they ever were, and Maldric has no need for your ineptitude."

The dragon raised its head and snorted a puff of smoke that enveloped the knight, and he coughed frantically as he stumbled out of the frame. The maiden raised her chin. "He never learns. But tell me, what reasons have you for disturbing our quiet hall?"

The Doctor bowed. "No reason but this: _damnant quod non intelligent_."

For the first time, she smiled, and her pale face was transformed. "I see. Enter, young ones, and be safe." The portrait creaked off the wall, and the Doctor led Rose through the small door behind it. She gasped as they stepped through—they stood in a small courtyard, but it was utterly different from the courtyard they'd just left behind. A glass ceiling separated them from the outside air, and lush green ivy covered the stone walls. The ancient flagstones were worn smooth by years of use and heavy stone planters were carefully placed around the little courtyard, filled with vibrant blossoms. A small fountain stood in the center, the water crystal clear.

Rose spun to face the Doctor. "What is this place?"

He beamed down at her and took her jacket, tossing it next to his on one of the stone benches. "This, Rose, was the Lady Una's gift to her good friend Rowena Ravenclaw when that lady co-founded Hogwarts. Una was a noted zoologist in her day, and her specialty was the study of dragons. She knew dragons were a misunderstood species, though, and her ex didn't help matters."

Rose's eyebrows drew together. "Her ex?"

"Sir George Dalemore. He wasn't happy when she decided to become a scholar instead of marrying him, so he started a smear campaign." He jerked his head back at the door. "Hence the whole 'St. George and the Dragon' story. It never happened, but he made sure people thought it did. Una's writings were never taken all that seriously after that—too many people were used to thinking of her as the damsel in distress. So she enchanted this courtyard for Hogwarts, and only the people who know her story can get in. A bit petty, maybe, but understandable."

Rose laughed. "Well, good on her. This is gorgeous." She spun to look at him, tilting her head. "How'd you find out about it?"

"First year, I decided to make a project of knowing as much about the portraits as I could. I've got a list somewhere of all the names and stories I've collected, but I misplaced it a while ago and I haven't seen it since." A slow, warm smile grew on his face as he watched her reach out to trail a finger against the brilliantly purple petals of the verbena that spilled out of the heavy planters.

Rose jumped a little as his arms wrapped around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. His breath tickled her ear as he spoke, and she fought off a shiver. "You know what else we haven't been able to do with them breathing down our necks, Rose?"

She closed her eyes and leaned back against him. "What?"

"This." In one quick move he'd shifted from behind her to in front, his arms still steady around her waist to keep her from stumbling. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, and Rose rocked up on her toes to get closer. After a moment she wrapped her arms around his shoulders to hold herself up—her knees definitely weren't up to the task anymore, not with his tongue carefully caressing her mouth like that.

That was when a glowing silver hawk flowed into the room, hovering in the air in front of them. The Doctor pulled away, panting, and it opened its beak, Celeste Hopkins' voice came out. "Mr. Mott, get out here. We've got things to discuss. I'll be in my office."

He leaned his forehead against Rose's, his eyes shut tight in frustration. "Is it too much to ask that we have a little privacy?" The patronus opened its beak again and repeated the message, and the Doctor scowled at it. "I wasn't asking you a question. We heard you, now go away." It disappeared in a swirl of silver light, and he sighed. "I'm sorry, Rose. You shouldn't have to put up with this."

"Hey, there's one more week until the spring equinox. Remember what Snape said? You stay safe for one more week, and then the deadline's past and the rite will never work."

He groaned and stepped back, running a hand over his face. "Oh, why'd you have to say that? Now something's guaranteed to go wrong." He looked around them at the lovely courtyard and scowled, pulling his jacket on. "I'd better go find Hopkins before she decides to hunt me down."

Rose pulled on her jacket as well, absentmindedly flipping her hair out from beneath the collar. "I'll go with."

He took her hand and sighed. "Right, off to find the beast."

Rose elbowed him lightly. "Oh, come off it. She's not that bad, just… really focused on her job." The Doctor mumbled something, and Rose leaned closer. "Sorry, didn't catch that."

"I _said,_ that's what I'm worried about."

"What d'you mean?"

He stepped out of the portrait and nodded at Lady Una, his mind far away. "Think about it, Rose. Voldemort's dead and gone, but if they perform this rite on me, he's back and everything these people worked for is for moot. What's the one guaranteed way to stop this rite from happening?" He ran a finger across his throat, and Rose paled.

"No, they wouldn't do that. They'd never."

"I might, if it'd stop him from coming back."

She smacked his shoulder and stepped away from him, wrapping her arms around herself. "Don't talk like that."

"Just one life, to keep all the others safe." He swallowed and looked down. "It's almost worse that I totally understand."

Rose shook her head. "Stop that, Doctor. No one's thinkin' of killing you. They're tryin' to keep you safe, remember?"

"They're trying to keep me away from the Death Eaters. I'm not so sure about 'safe'."

They reached the Auror's temporary office and he knocked on the door before she could respond. The muffled voice of Celeste Hopkins told them to come in, and they stepped inside. She was poring over a report before looking up, annoyed. "What did I tell you about staying where we can see you, Mott?"

The Doctor's jaw tightened. "We didn't leave the castle."

"That doesn't mean you're safe." She set the report down and sighed, rubbing her hands over her eyes. "We got a report from the Ministry this morning. They'd been holding Lestrange and Rosier down at headquarters, trying to break through their mental wards, but there was a break-in this morning." She looked up and met the Doctor's eyes. "Lestrange is on the loose, and Rosier's with him."

There was a moment of stunned silence before the Doctor turned to Rose, his eyes wide. "See? I _told_ you."

Rose ignored him, glaring at Celeste. "How'd they get out?"

"You think I know?" She pulled her thick locks back into a ponytail and pulled out her wand, twirling it absently. "The Aurors who were guarding them were mind-wiped, so we have no way of knowing who freed them." She leaned forward, bracing her hands on her desk. "What we do know is that they'll come for you. This rite is their last chance, and they're desperate. I've requested back up, but I doubt Coleridge will listen. Now, until the equinox has passed, you're to stay with a guard twenty-four seven. There will be no leaving the castle, so the Hogsmeade trip this weekend is out." The Doctor began to protest, and she raised her hand. "I know you want to, but we can't take that chance. This is lockdown, Mr. Mott. It may not be pleasant, but you'll be safe." She looked past them. "So stay with them, Caleb, Ross. We can't have Mr. Mott pulling a disappearing act on us again."

The two Aurors stepped forward, one on either side, and the Doctor and Rose's eyes met as they reached out to take each others' hands.

One more week.

ΘΣ

_Damnant quod non intelligent_: they condemn what they do not understand.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

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Rose stared out the window at the students gathering in the cold March air for the trip to Hogsmeade. A group of third years was huddled together against the wind, their brightly colored hats standing out stark and bright against the dull grey of the courtyard. Genevieve and Rebecca were chatting with Patrick and Rajesh, and Genevieve threw her head back and laughed. Rose watched her, curious. It was perhaps the first time she'd seen her truly happy.

There was a footstep behind her, and she turned to see Donna. The older girl jerked her chin at the window. "You not goin', then?"

"Nah, thought I'd stay here."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that the Doctor's been surrounded by Aurors for weeks now, would it?" Rose looked away and swallowed, and Donna groaned. "Look, he won't talk to me—is he alright, at least? Is he safe?"

Rose bit her lip and answered carefully. "He will be soon."

Donna's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Donna, I can't tell you! Really, I can't! Please, I would if I could."

She spun, running a hand through her hair agitatedly. "He's my _family!_ Don't I have a right to know?"

Rose sighed. "It's not my decision."

Donna spoke through clenched teeth. "Fine." She lifted her chin and sniffed. "I'm off to Madam Puddifoot's with David Morgan."

Rose smiled weakly. "Have fun, Donna. Really."

"Yeah." She left, and the Doctor edged around the corner a few moments later.

He sighed and walked to join Rose on the window seat, staring out at the students below. Harry leaned against the wall a few feet away, hands in his pockets. The Doctor began fiddling with his fingers, and after a moment he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Rose. You shouldn't be caught in the middle like this."

She rolled her eyes and cuffed his shoulder. "Would you stop apologizing already? Told ya a thousand times already, you don't need to."

"Yes, but if it weren't for me—" He stopped. Rose had her finger across his lips, and he peered down at it, cross-eyed, before looking back up at her.

"If it weren't for you, I'd be bored outta my mind and barely scrapin' by." She winked at him, her tongue peeking out from between her teeth. "Not to mention whatever Genevieve was goin' to do to me. No, Doctor, I'm not gonna regret it. I wouldn't've missed it for the world."

The Doctor nodded reluctantly and outside the window the students moved off in a straight line, flanked on both sides by Aurors and teachers. Rose chuckled as she glanced out. "'M guessin' there'll be no Shrieking Shack for anybody, today."

Harry stiffened and shot an alarmed glance at them. "It's supposed to be closed off."

The Doctor pulled his mouth to one side and tilted his head. "Wellll, it was—let's say it just doesn't take much to make a key when you're familiar with the lock."

He frowned, confused. "What are you talking about?"

The Doctor shrugged. "All Aurors tend to cast their magic the same way. My da—that is, Wilf…" he paused and shook his head. "_My dad_ used to be an Auror, and I've been around enough of his spellcasting to understand how it works."

Harry straightened away from the wall, his green eyes curious. "D'you think we could go over it, sometime?"

The Doctor paused and blinked at the older boy before smiling. "Yeah, I think we could." Outside the last of the students moved off, and Caleb Dorton—Hopkins' second-in-command—took up the rear, his wand out and ready. The Doctor glanced down at the empty courtyard and bounced to his feet, tugging Rose up with him. "Well, that's them off. I've got something I want to show you."

She grinned up at him. "Yeah? An' what's that?"

"You'll see, won't you?" He jerked his head away from her, waggling his eyebrows. "Come on."

Rose followed him down the corridor, Harry close behind them. The Doctor led them away from the window, along little-used passageways and down spiraling stairways. Finally he pushed open a tall wooden door, glancing back at them as he entered. They stood in a little-used gallery, small portraits lining the walls. "I found this place a while back—this is Hogwarts' official faculty gallery. Anyone who's ever taught here has a portrait on these walls." He led them along, nodding genially to the bespectacled witches and flamboyantly dressed wizards that greeted them. At the far end, he paused and glanced back at Harry. "Including the recent years."

In a simple wooden frame, a haggard wizard sat reading next to a small fireplace, the firelight highlighting the scars on his face and reflecting against the smattering of silver strands in his light brown hair.

Harry spoke, his voice ragged. "Remus?"

He looked up and smiled, slipping a marker in his book. "Hello, Harry. You're looking well."

In a moment of surprising tact, the Doctor caught Rose's eye and nodded further down the passageway. She followed him, leaving Harry alone with the portrait. "How'd you know?" At his look, she continued. "About Harry and Professor Lupin bein' friends."

"Donna had mentioned it before. Apparently he's Lupin's son's godfather." He looked down. "The poor kid lost both his parents to the war—maybe this way he'll be able to talk to his dad someday." A grim smile twisted his mouth. "He's lucky, though. At least _his_ dad is worth talking to. I always liked Professor Lupin."

"I never got to have 'im. My classmates said he was good, though. They liked him a lot."

The Doctor snorted good-naturedly. "I'm sure him being a former Gryffindor helped."

Rose bumped his shoulder with hers. "Oi, we're not _all_ that prejudiced."

The Doctor smiled softly down at her. "No, and thank Merlin for that."

Just then, a rustle began to echo through the portraits. There was a disturbance at the end of the hall, and a short, stout woman in chartreuse robes came bustling up through the paintings, panting. "Potter! Where is Potter?"

The Doctor frowned. "He's just down the hall—what is it? What's wrong?"

"They're back! Oh, god, they're back."

Rose stepped forward. "Who's back?"

She spoke, her voice squeaky with dread. "The Death Eaters! They're in the Great Hall!"

The Doctor's eyes widened. "We'll tell him. Tell as many faculty members as you can—and keep the students _away._"

She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "And how am I supposed to do that?"

"You'll think of something!" He left and Rose hurried after him, jogging back down the hall towards Harry.

He looked away from the portrait as they approached and his expression shifted, his jaw tightening and his wand slipping out of its holster easily. "What's wrong?"

"Death Eaters in the castle—they're in the Great Hall."

Harry's shoulders tensed. "Right, you stay here."

The Doctor glared at him indignantly, following him as he hurried down the corridor. "Like that's going to happen!"

Harry spun and blocked the doorway. "Doctor, they're after _you_. Are you just going to rush in there, offering yourself on a silver platter?"

"You need some sort of back-up! Most of the teachers and Aurors are in Hogsmeade—do you really think you can handle them alone? You, who killed their leader?"

Harry's jaw tightened and he glanced down the hall at the heavy crash and shrill scream that echoed towards them. "Stay behind me at all times. If anyone else comes to back me up—_anyone_—you need to get out of there and get into hiding." He glanced at Rose. "You need to get him out of there if he won't listen to me."

She pulled out her wand, throwing a glance at the Doctor. "Don't worry, I will."

They forged forward, wands out and ready. The thuds and screams got louder as they went along, and Rose's stomach turned. The first and second years were still in the castle.

They edged up to the outside of the entrance to the Great Hall, and the Doctor paled. A very familiar voice rang out inside the room. "OI! What do you think you're doing? Step away from the kid, you bastard!"

He groaned. "Donna."

Then another voice spoke, and the Doctor's knees seemed to give out. Rose caught him as the other person—male, from the sound of it, and old—spoke. "Don't you touch my granddaughter."

Rose already knew who it was, but the Doctor's horrified gasp confirmed it. "_Dad._"

ΘΣ


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

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Harry gave the Doctor a warning glace and stepped back to send a Patronus to Celeste, and Rodolphus spoke. "You _dare_ speak to us, you who stole our Lord's true son?"

Wilf snorted. "True son? That's not how family works. He's no more your late lord's 'true son' than that stone you're standing on."

Rodolphus laughed once, a harsh, angry sound. "And I suppose you think he is_ your_ son?"

"No." The Doctor paled again, and Rose grabbed his hand. He gripped her hand tightly, nearly grinding her bones together. Then Wilf spoke again. "I don't think so. I _know_ so. He's my boy, and he has been from the day he came home with me."

Donna spoke up, her voice quiet and scared. "Granddad?"

"Not now, sweetheart—hggh!" Harry peered around the corner and cursed under his breath. Wilf had been bound and gagged, and Donna was staring down the group of Death Eaters by herself. Seven first-years were huddled together in the corner, tears streaking their faces. Harry gulped. Professor Bryn lay crumpled on the ground, staring, unseeing, at the ceiling. He ducked back around the corner and blocked the view from the Doctor and Rose, shaking his head warningly at them.

Koschei's voice rang out. "No, I think now's the perfect time. She doesn't know, does she? That her beloved 'Doctor' is Bellatrix Lestrange's child." His footsteps rang out on the cobblestones, and his voice lowered. "That the boy she's spent _so_ much time defending is the Dark Lord's heir."

She took a deep breath, and they could almost hear her scorching glare. "So what if he is? 'S not his fault, is it?"

Koschei chuckled. "Such loyalty! It's a shame your family doesn't feel the same for you. After all, your beloved grandfather here has known for years—even the Doctor himself has known for more than a month, and he hadn't once told you. But, wait—his pet Gryffindor knows, doesn't she?" He hissed in a breath. "Oh, that has to hurt. He told his chavvy little tart before he told you, his own _family_." The Doctor's hand convulsed on Rose's, and Donna mumbled something. Koschei spoke again. "What was that?"

"I _said_, Rose isn't a tart. An' I'm sure they had their reasons."

"You really are a Gryffindor, aren't you? So much blind devotion. It's touching, really."

"Oh, like you're one to talk about 'blind devotion'. What're you up to here, then? Some sort of lame-brained plot to bring back your Lord and Master? No matter who you threaten, who you hurt, it won't change anythin'—he's dead, and good riddance."

Another voice broke in, this one female and harsh. "Enough of this chatter. We came to find the heir, not to banter with blood traitors."

Rodolphus snarled, "Good point. _Avada—_"

"No, wait!" The Doctor's eyebrows shot up. The voice that had interrupted the spell was Koschei's. "Why kill her, when she can still be so useful?"

Boots shifted on the cobblestones. "Speak fast, Rosier."

"Johnny Boy may be in Slytherin, but he's got a revoltingly noble streak a mile wide. If you want him, these two are all you need." He clucked his tongue. "It's a shame the little Mudblood isn't here, too—we could've really had some fun with her."

The Doctor's jaw tightened, and Harry gave him a sharp look and pulled them away from the door, raising a sound ward. "Right—you need to get out of here. Help should be on its way, and we know Lestrange's strategy now—but until some back-up arrives, we can't do anything to help them."

He glared at him. "They're my _family_."

"And I doubt that means they'd want you to rush in there. Doctor, Rodolphus Lestrange is one of the most dangerous Death Eaters alive, and he was seriously unhinged even before his wife and leader were killed. Do you really think you can take him on?"

The Doctor's shoulders tensed. "I can try."

Rose gave Harry a glance and turned to face the Doctor, poking him in the chest. "Oi. I thought_ I_ was supposed to be the impetuous Gryffindor here?"

He stared down at her. "Rose. It's Donna and Dad. I can't just walk away."

"Then don't. Come up with some way to outthink 'em, but don't just run in there."

A sound came from down the hall, and they all turned. A slow grin grew on Harry's face. "Right. Let me get my kit, and I'll be right back." He threw the Doctor a warning glare. "_Don't _move."

ΘΣ

Rodolphus' voice rang throughout the castle, reverberating through the empty hallways and echoing into the common rooms where students huddled together, terrified. "John Mott, this is your one warning. Come to us, or your family will suffer." The whimper of a first year followed, and he continued with malicious glee, "For every ten minutes that you don't show, one of the little firsties dies." His voice dropped into a lower register, and the skin on the back of Rose's neck prickled. "Or worse, they'll live."

The Doctor was staring into middle distance, his eyes haunted and guilty. Rose laid a hand on his arm, and he jumped and turned to look at her. "Hey. We'll get this figured out. Whatever they're threatening, they won't get the chance, all right?"

He closed his eyes. "You don't know that."

"Yeah, I do. 'Cause you're not doin' this alone, Doctor. You've got plenty of people ready and willing to help you."

His eyes opened slowly, and she could see the dread written plainly across his face. "What if that's not enough?"

"I guess we don't know. Best we can do is try, right?"

Something solidified in his face as she spoke, and he nodded. The gawky teenage boy she knew and loved so well had dissapeared. This was the wizard who had discovered Snape's trail after so many failed, who had broken open his own identity with one carefully cast spell. He turned dark eyes to her and grabbed her hand, giving it a tight squeeze. "We'll do it together, yeah?"

Rose beamed up at him, her heart in her eyes. "Together."

Harry poked his head out of the office and gestured at them. "Come on. They're ready."

ΘΣ

Donna sat hunched next to her grandfather, curling herself protectively around him. He was too old for this—he'd hit the ground hard when Rodolphus had bound him, and she was worried about the crunching noise she'd heard. Old Mrs. Tibbins down the block had broken her hip last winter, and she was still using a walker. Granted, she was a Muggle and had no access to St. Mungo's, but that didn't make Donna feel any better. It didn't change the fact that Wilf had gone white with pain, or that she could feel his pulse beating erratically against her fingertips as she held his wrist. The first-years were huddled close around her, their eyes wide and terrified. Donna resisted the urge to roll her eyes. What good could _she_ possibly do them? Sitting ducks, they were. An ill-timed mental image made her snort. They really did look like goslings right now, poor things.

"I'm glad you find our little arrangement so amusing, Donna, dearest." She raised her eyes and glared at Koschei, who was staring at her with a supercilious smirk on his face.

She groaned. "Oh, don't tell me you've got an alliteration thing, too. Drives me mental whenever the Doctor goes on one of his kicks—'Just think of it, Donna! A platoon of baboons on the moon!'" Koschei stared at her, one eyebrow raised, and she rolled her eyes. "It's a long story."

He sniffed. "Apparently his idiocy has infected his family. Or maybe he got it from you—wouldn't surprise me in the least, really. There's only so much that can be expected from a _Gryffindor_."

Donna gave him a look that was absolutely dripping with disdain. "Okay, really? That's your big insult? 'Oh, look, you were sorted in a different house than me?' 'S a bit juvenile, isn't it?"

"It seemed more gentlemanly than commenting on your complete lack of wit or talent."

Donna paled, and a voice came from the doorway. "Leave her alone." She closed her eyes in frustrated defeat, and Koschei spun with a wide grin on his face.

"Why, Doctor, how good to see you."

He sniffed and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Can't say the same to you, I'm afraid." His voice lowered. "Let them go."

Koschei tutted, shaking his head gently. "Now, why would I do that? We were just getting to know each other."

"Enough." Rodolphus had been pacing, and he straightened as the Doctor walked warily in the door. "No more of this foolishness. _Accio wand._"

"No!" The Doctor's wand flew out of his pocket, and he watched helplessly as the Death Eater snapped it in two. He groaned. "Oh, come on, now. That wasn't a very good idea. After all, you want ol' Moldy Voldy to use this body, don't you? I doubt he'll be all that happy to come back without a wand to use."

Rabastan Lestrange growled and raised his wand threateningly. "Don't you dare defile the Dark Lord's name!"

"What? Not a fan of 'Moldy Voldy'? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, really—you lot aren't really renowned for your sense of humour, after all." Rabastan began to move his wand, and the Doctor rocked back on his heels. "I might think twice about that, if I were you. Wouldn't want any lingering side effects for his brand new vessel, would you?"

Rodolphus leaned forward. "So you accept your fate?"

"See, that's the thing. Never been that much of a believer in fate, me. Oh, there are some things I believe in—" he paused, and a slight smile crossed his face for a moment before he shook his head and continued, "but that there's some all-powerful force out there, shaping our lives? Not for me. And as they say," he shrugged and adopted a Scottish accent, "the best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley." He paused, and spoke again in his regular Estuary accent. "Like, for instance, how you've managed to lose all your hostages."

The Death Eaters spun to look at the corner and stared. Where just minutes ago seven first-years had sat with Donna and Wilf, now a troupe of Hogwarts house-elves sat in too-large Hogwarts robes. Kreacher sat up, Wilf's sweater dwarfing his frame. "Remember what Master Potter said! Away!" With an ear-splitting crack, they vanished—but the disturbance in the air blew like a sudden gale through the room, and the air by the wall rippled and revealed a pair of legs clad in tight denim. The Doctor felt his heart drop into his stomach. He knew those legs—of course he did, Merlin knew he'd spent enough time daydreaming about them.

Koschei flicked his wand. "_Petrificus Totalus!_"

There was a shriek and a thud, and the air rippled around the legs. Koschei strolled over to the person and dragged the Invisibility Cloak away, grinning down at the girl lying frozen on the floor. "Hello, Rosie."

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	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

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Rose glared up at him, unmoving. There was a scuffle by the door, and Rodolphus looked up to see the Doctor held back by Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Potter, his eyes wide and fixed on Rose.

Koschei grinned and held his wand to her throat, digging into the pale flesh there. She made a muffled whimper, and he beamed down at her as if she were a particularly clever dog. "You didn't really think this one through much, did you?"

The Doctor threw himself forward, his eyes wide. "Leave her alone!" Harry and Sarah Jane jerked him back, keeping their wands leveled at the other Death Eaters.

"But she could be so intriguingly _useful_." He glanced up at the Doctor as his wand trailed lower, down her chest. "What is that Muggle saying? One man's trash is another man's treasure." He whispered a spell, and blood began to trickle from the path his wand had made.

Rose choked on a cry of pain, and Sarah Jane closed her eyes for a moment, her face drawn and guilty as the Doctor cried out, "_No!_"

Koschei looked down at Rose, a mock frown on his face. "You know, I don't think the Doctor likes what I'm doing to you. I wonder why that is?" His eyes traced over her, and a slow, dark smile grew on his face. "I don't think he ever learned to share." His wand traced down her shirt, and the fabric split in two where it touched.

"_STUPEFY!_" Koschei spun at the roared spell, bringing his wand up quickly into a dueling stance, but he needn't have bothered. The Doctor stood alone in the doorway, panting. Harry and Sarah Jane had been blasted aside by the force of the spell, and they lay crumpled on the floor. Rodolphus and Rabastan began to laugh, but the Doctor glared coldly at them until they quieted. "You want me? You can have me. But only if you leave Rose alone_._" A particularly hairy Death Eater leveled his wand at Harry's unconscious form, and the Doctor stepped quickly in front of him. "_And _the others."

Rodolphus sneered. "What's to stop us from doing what we want, boy?"

"The full team of Aurors that will be here within a minute. If you try to harm them in any way, if you so much as _look_ at Rose again, then I'm out of here, and you've lost your chance."

Koschei laughed and spun his wand in their air, catching it easily and dropping the tip back to Rose's chest. "And how do you propose to do that?"

The Doctor simply stared at him, his eyes dark. "Don't test me."

The rumble of running footsteps sounded in the corridor outside as the Doctor stood, poised, in the doorway. Rodolphus glared at him and gestured at Koschei, who stepped reluctantly away from Rose.

The Doctor stepped forward to join them, and Koschei spoke. "Your little pet is safe for now, Doctor." He leaned closer, a demented grin on his face. "But just imagine everything she'll go through when the Dark Lord wears your face."

The hairy Death Eater grabbed the Doctor's shoulder, and one by one, they hurried onto the slab of black marble in the corner. It had somehow been overlooked in the clean-up after the Valentine's ball, and now Rose knew why. With a series of thundering cracks, they vanished, and moments after the last of them had stepped through the marble split in two.

Celeste Hopkins was the first through the doorway, quickly followed by Severus Snape. Donna and Wilf followed, hanging back as the Aurors swept in. Celeste ran over to Professor Bryn's side as Snape dropped down by Sarah Jane, grimacing at the knot he found on the back of her head. He looked up. "Stupified, but otherwise unhurt."

Celeste looked up, her face grim, and gestured for two of her team to take Bryn's body away.

Rose grunted as loudly as she could, and Donna ran over to her. "Rose! Merlin, what happened to you?"

"Stand back, silly girl." Snape flicked his wand and spoke the counter spell, and Rose took a deep breath.

She glared up at them, ignoring the stinging pain of the cuts on her throat and the sticky warmth of her own blood. "I am going to _kill_ him."

Snape raised a sardonic eyebrow. "I believe they're already planning on that, Miss Tyler." He glanced down and looked away quickly, pulling off his cloak to settle it over her split shirt. "You need to go to the Hospital Wing."

"Like hell. What I need to do is to find that bloody idiot and kick his scrawny arse."

Donna broke in, staring around the empty hall. Her voice was low and angry. "Rose, where's the Doctor?"

She met Donna's eyes tiredly. "Where d'you think? We cleared out the first round of hostages, only to give them just the one they wanted." She snorted and ran her hand over the ground until she found the Invisibility Cloak. "I was even gift-wrapped."

Snape grabbed her shoulder, his black eyes drilling into hers. "Enough. Miss Tyler, Mr. Mott is with the Death Eaters?"

She closed her eyes and nodded. "Handed himself over, neat as you please."

Caleb Dorton joined them, looking grave. "They broke the trace on the portal. The trail's gone."

Snape leapt to his feet, pacing back and forth. "_Damn_ it."

Sarah Jane had awoken and now stumbled over, still looking a bit woozy. "John?"

"Gone."

Caleb spoke up. "Could we use the Ministry Trace to find him?"

Rose curled herself up further, ignoring the pain in her chest as she huddled under Snape's cloak. "He doesn't have his wand. Lestrange broke it. One of the Lestranges."

Donna paled. "He's wandless?"

Sarah Jane touched her temple cautiously. "That doesn't mean he can't perform magic, as Harry and I discovered. He may not be very focused right now, but he's far from helpless."

Suddenly, Donna lit up. "Wait. Can you use this?" She jerked her charmed key out of her pocket, and the Aurors stared at it before looking blankly at her. She flushed. "Oi, don't look at me like that. It's not just a key, the Doctor charmed it so he could contact me when he wanted. He's got the other one."

Caleb's eyebrows rose in respect. "He's made a Protean charm already?"

She nodded slowly, looking at him as if he were thick. "Yeah, last year."

Snape's lips twitched. "Normal expectations aren't of much use when it comes to Mr. Mott, Dorton. "

"I'm beginning to see that."

"That will be quite useful, Miss Noble." He shot Rose a glance. "Now, someone needs to escort Miss Tyler here to the Hospital Wing so she'll stop bleeding on my cloak."

Rose flushed and tried to get up, wincing a little at the throbbing pain in her back where she'd hit the ground. Pale hands gripped her shoulder to help her up, and Snape nodded at her and strode off to talk to Celeste. Donna wrapped her arm around her waist. "Come on. Let's get you up to Madam Pomfrey." She glanced over her shoulder and shouted. "Granddad! You, too!"

Wilf tightened his jaw and left the two Aurors he'd been talking to. "I can help, Donna."

"Not with that limp, you can't. Come on, there'll be plenty of time to help later."

Wilf and Rose shared a commiserating look and Donna herded them up the stairs, leaving the hall teeming with Aurors and teachers.

ΘΣ

"I'm sorry."

Wilf looked up and blinked. Madam Pomfrey had finished with the both of them several minutes ago, and she was talking with Donna in the corner, their voices low and intense. He looked over at the blonde girl, the one who had gotten them all out, one by one, under the Invisibility Cloak while young Potter guarded the Doctor by the door. She was biting her lip, her arms folded across her chest to hold her blood-stained top closed.

"Sorry for what, love?"

She closed her eyes. "If I'd been more careful, if I'd gone a bit faster, he'd still be here."

Wilf reached over and touched her arm. "Now, now, don't blame yourself. It's not anybody's fault but those Death Eaters'. You got us all out safely, and you'll have nothing but gratitude from me for it."

She stared down at her knees, crossing her ankles and tucking them underneath the hospital bed she was perched on. "It was the Doctor's idea. If it weren't for him and the house elves, you'd still be in there."

His eyebrows rose. "I think you're selling yourself a bit short there, sweetheart."

Her face crumpled. "But he's _gone_ because of me."

He shook his head and stood carefully, stepping over to her and wrapping his arms around her. "Don't say that. He wanted to keep you safe, and that's nothing to feel guilty for." Her tears began to leak into his thick woolen jumper, and he rubbed her back as she cried. "You're Rose, aren't you?"

She sniffed and looked up, her mascara smeared from her tears. He offered her a handkerchief with a small smile and she took it, wiping her face and blowing her nose noisily. "Yeah, yeah I am." She laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her hand against her eyes. "Sorry for fallin' apart on you like this, I know that's prob'ly the last thing you need right now—"

"Shush, now." He squeezed her shoulder gently, smiling at her. "The Doctor doesn't remember to write home all that often, but when he does, his letters are full of you. I'm glad he kept you safe."

She swallowed heavily. "Thank you."

Donna began to walk back over to them, and he patted Rose's arm and lowered his voice. "And we'll get him back, don't you doubt it. I may be retired, but that doesn't mean I don't remember a few tricks that can help out." He winked at her, and she smiled at him.

"I might have a few tricks, myself." She twitched her hand that had been resting on the bed, and the air rippled over the sheets. His eyes widened, and she grinned crookedly at him.

Donna bustled up to them, worry in her eyes. She handed a loose jumper over to Rose, who tugged it over her head quickly, glancing at Wilf with a blush. He looked away gallantly, and she pulled her blood-stained, ripped shirt out from under the heavy green jumper. Donna took it with a grimace and chucked it in the bin. "Right! Madam Pomfrey says you two can go, but you've got to take it easy—especially you, Granddad. That bone's healed, but it'll take a few days for it to fully set."

He sighed, a slight smile on his face as he watched Donna bustle around, collecting the potions that Madam Pomfrey had left for them. "All right, missy. I thought I'd head back downstairs, see what Auror Hopkins had planned."

Donna looked up with a frown. "Granddad, you've got to stay off that leg."

A trace of the family stubbornness showed in Wilf's eyes. He lifted his chin indignantly. "No, I've got to find out what they're planning to do for my son."

Something seemed to crack in her face, and Donna clenched her jaw and blinked her eyes furiously. "They'll get him back, Granddad."

"An' I'm planning to make sure of it." She opened her mouth, and he raised his hand. "Don't worry, love, I'll not do anything rash."

Rose glanced at the hand he had resting on the hospital bed next to her. His fingers were crossed, and he caught her eye and winked. She bit back a grin and slid of the bed, blinking back some slight dizziness—Blood Replenishing potion always made her a bit woozy. She lifted her chin.

"I'm going with."

Donna sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "You two are determined to make sure that I can't take care of you, aren't you?"

Rose reached out for Donna, taking her hand and staring into her eyes. "Some things are more important."

ΘΣ


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

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The Great Hall was a hive of activity by the time they got back to it. Professor McGonagall was deep in discussion with Celeste Hopkins, Snape standing tall and alert by her side. Sarah Jane Smith and Harry were talking to a short, blond Auror, nodding or shaking their heads as he conjured the images of different known Death Eaters. The first-years were sitting together at one of the tables, steaming mugs of tea in their hands and blank stares on their faces.

Donna narrowed her eyes. "They've got the firsties waiting in _here?_ Like it wasn't enough for them to see their teacher killed in front of them, to be threatened by monsters, and then held hostage against another student's good behavior." She gave Wilf a severe glance. "Don't cause trouble, Granddad."

He snorted affectionately. "Like you're not off to do just that."

She huffed as one of the Aurors began interrogating the kids. "Damn right, I am."

"Language, Donna." She ignored him, instead storming off to confront the Auror who was questioning a little Asian girl who looked on the verge of tears. He looked at Rose and waggled his eyebrows at her. "That was easier than I expected."

A tongue-touched smile grew on her face. "Somebody up there must like us, I guess."

Hopkins glanced up as they approached, and her eyebrows drew together. She raised her hands before they could speak. "No, we don't know where he is yet. And no, you can't come along."

Wilf scoffed and leaned artistically on his good leg, and Rose hurriedly wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Don't be daft, I know that." Snape gave him a skeptical glance, and he leaned on Rose even more heavily. "You said you'd be able to use Donna's key to locate him."

Snape was watching them both warily. "We should, yes. The lack of other links in the charm should lead us directly to him. The question is, what will we find there?"

Wilf swallowed heavily. "Let me know?"

Snape nodded gravely at him. "I can't give you any guarantees I'll be the one who does so, but someone will contact you as soon as they can."

"Thank you." He looked down at Rose and smiled crookedly. "D'you mind walkin' me up to the library, sweetheart? It's been a while since I've seen it, and it should be nice and quiet right about now."

Sarah Jane walked over then, the stress of the day plain on her face. "Actually, why don't you head on up to the Teacher's Lounge? It's a good a place to wait as any, and that way the students won't bother you. Miss Tyler, if you wouldn't mind escorting him?"

Rose nodded. "Not at all. Just ask the portraits for directions, then?"

She blinked. "Good thinking. That should be fine."

Wilf reached out and took Sarah Jane's hand, gripping it tightly for a moment. "Thank you, Sarah."

Her eyes softened. "It's the least I can do, really."

Wilf nodded at them and turned away, and Rose kept her arm around him as they left the hall. He straightened as soon as they passed out of eyesight, his jaw tightening. "All right, the trace is set. Wherever they go, we'll know." He looked at Rose and paused, considering, before he finally spoke. "This isn't going to be easy, you know. If we go after them, we're most likely going to end up in a nest of Death Eaters. I really shouldn't let you come along."

She crossed her arms and looked at him seriously. "If I don't go with you, I'll still find a way."

He sighed. "That's what I thought. You stay by me, love, and you've got to follow my orders. I say duck, you duck."

She nodded at him. "Understood."

There was movement from inside the Great Hall, and Rose hastily reached under her baggy jumper. Wilf watched, confused, until she pulled a shining, translucent cloak out and swung it up over the both of them. Hopkins strode past them, her jaw set. Dorton walked next to her, and she glanced at him and lowered her voice. "If we can't get him out, Caleb, you know what to do."

He paled. "Celeste, he's just a kid."

She spun to face him, eyes anguished. "You think I don't know that? But we can't chance Voldemort coming back, we just can't."

"We'll find another way!"

"What if there isn't one? These aren't your run of the mill Death Eaters, Caleb. They're beyond any chance of rehabilitation, and they're desperate." She paused and swallowed, closing her eyes. Her thumb brushed against the small silver ring on her finger. "If I don't come back, you know what to give Aaron."

He reached out and grabbed her shoulders. "You can't go in there thinking like this, Celeste."

"I'm team leader. I've got to plan for the worst." She stared evenly at him. "And if that means taking the kid out, then we have to be prepared to do that."

More footsteps approached the doorway, and she gave him one last glance. "Remember what I said, Caleb."

He nodded grudgingly and followed the rest of them out the doorway, the team of Aurors walking with Sarah Jane and Snape down to the edge of the anti-Apparition wards. Rose and Wilf followed at a safe distance, both of them careful to step in the others' footprints on the muddy ground. Snape glanced behind him one last time as he and a pair of Aurors cast a spell over Donna's silver key, his black eyes scanning the terrain carefully. Rose and Wilf froze, hardly daring to breathe.

He turned back to the Aurors, raising his voice as his wand traced complex movements in the air above where the key dangled from his pale fist. The key began to flash—once, twice, then in a throbbing rhythm that came closer and closer together until it was a blaze of light. Hopkins' voice echoed through the area. "Gather round, and hold on!" They huddled together, arms clasping shoulders and elbows, and with a rush of air the whole group vanished.

Rose began to move forward, but stopped when Wilf grabbed her elbow. "Not yet, love." He closed his eyes in concentration, wand up and head cocked to the side, and his bright blue eyes snapped open moments later. "They've got the wards down. Time to go." He grasped Rose's shoulder and gave her a crooked smile. "Hold on."

She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, shutting her eyes tightly against the violent jerk of Apparition.

They landed in a warzone.

"Down!"

Rose obeyed Wilf immediately, ducking down against the creaking floorboards as a stray spell winged itself where their heads had been moments before. They were crouched in a once-grand hall, marble columns stretching up to the flaking fresco on the ceiling. Death Eaters and Aurors swarmed around them, robes of black and grey and brown flickering through their peripheral vision like a flock of demented birds. Snape and Sarah Jane were back to back as they dueled Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, and Harry and Celeste fought side by side against the waves of Death Eaters that hurled themselves at the Dark Lord's killer.

Wilf grabbed Rose's arm suddenly and she followed his gaze across the room—Koschei Rosier was hurrying away, the burly Death Eater with the bushy beard dragging the Doctor behind him. Rose and Wilf exchanged a glance and they began moving across the room, ducking away from the falling bodies and the crackling spells that surrounded them. They slipped through the door Koschei had left open, and Wilf silently sealed the door behind him.

Then he spoke, no trace of his usual patience and empathy in his voice. "Put him down."

Rosier spun, his gaze darting around the room. Rose's eyes widened. He had three ancient books clasped in his hands, books so old that their once-brown leather binding had turned black. A low, raspy voice rang through her mind: _"There are still books that reference it, though, in the old, old collections—collections such as the Black family library."_

She poked her wand out of the cloak and hissed a spell, watching in satisfaction as a fireball blasted from the tip of her wand to engulf the old books. Koschei dropped them with a howl, jerking his robes out of the way—by the time he shouted _Aguamenti_, though, the books were already cinders.

Wilf jerked her to one side, and the floor where they had just been standing dissolved into a puddle of reeking black ooze.

The hairy Death Eater dropped the Doctor and spun to face Koschei, his voice coming out low and menacing. "How _dare_ you! Those were our only resource!"

Koschei glared up at him. "Yes, tell them that, that's helpful. Instead of, I don't know, _fighting them._"

The advice was too little, too late, though—with one spell Wilf knocked the Death Eater to the ground, unconscious. He stepped out of the cloak, wand at the ready. "You and I need to talk, boy."

"As if I'd want to talk to you." Koschei was edging closer to where the Doctor slumped, unconscious—or he was, until the Doctor vanished without even a flicker of a spell. "Oh, _bollocks._ Not that again." He raised his wand to send a spell at the spot where the Doctor had vanished, and cursed as a hex slammed into the wall next to him.

Wilf advanced on him, clutching his wand fiercely. "You leave them alone."

Rose dragged the Doctor against the wall, panting against the dead weight of unconscious teenage boy and struggling to keep them both hidden underneath the Invisibility Cloak. "Wake up, already." She patted his cheek, running her eyes across him to check for wounds. "Oh god, just wake up."

Her wand clattered to the floor next to her, and she froze before snatching it up, jamming into his chest and muttering, "_Rennervate!_" The Doctor groaned, his eyes opening slowly. Rose smiled down at him, wiping her eyes against the threatening tears as he woke. "Hello."

He smiled groggily up at her. "Hello." Then his eyes went wide. "Rose, _move!_"

A huge hand grabbed the back of her neck, jerking her out from under the Invisibility Cloak. The hairy Death Eater was awake, his pupils dilated and his nostrils flared. He looked—Rose felt her heart lurch to a stop. He looked _feral_.

The werewolf snarled and backhanded her, sending her slamming against the wall. Wilf looked over and cried out, then hissed in pain as one of Koschei's hexes connected. Her wand was lying abandoned on the floor, and she scrambled for it before he grabbed her again, grinding her head against the floor.

A scream tore itself from her throat as the broken floorboards cut into her cheek—then he released her, scrambling backwards as the Doctor hung down his back, his arms wrapped tightly around the werewolf's neck. Rose grabbed her wand. "Doctor, get down!" He dropped off immediately and moved away, and the were spun with a growl to face her again.

She stared up at him, her eyes ablaze and her arm steady. "_Confrigo._"

An explosion of flame engulfed him and she collapsed against the wall as he shrieked in agony, the air thick with heat and the smell of burning flesh.

Things passed in a blur after that.

Koschei's shriek as Wilf knocked him down, his muffled rage as he was bound and gagged.

The Doctor borrowing her wand and extinguishing the fire, all the while casting worried glances at her.

The twitching of the werewolf's body as the water hissed and steamed where it hit his roasted flesh.

The Doctor's voice, echoing and ringing in her ears. "Rose? Rose, come back to me. Rose?"

She blinked and looked up from the blackened corpse into the Doctor's worried eyes. "We didn't even know his name."

"Dad?"

Wilf's voice, coming from far away. "She's in shock. Come on, let's get her back to Hogwarts. Can you apparate with her?"

The Doctor stared down at the wand in his hand and glanced back at the water-soaked mess on the floor. "Yeah, I think I can. But, well—I don't have my license yet."

Wilf gave him a knowing look. "That doesn't mean you don't know how."

"Right, yeah." He turned back to Rose, who was staring at the corpse again. Wilf grabbed Koschei's bound arm and the Invisibility Cloak and dissaparated with a crack, and the Doctor stepped closer to Rose. "Rose? We're going back to Hogwarts." He wrapped his arm around her waist gently, staring down into her face. "I think you need a Healer."

He flicked her wand, and they vanished.

ΘΣ


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

ΘΣ

They reappeared outside the gates of Hogwarts, and Rose promptly lost her breakfast all over the mud-slick lawn. She stared at the mess, shuddering. It dimly registered that the Doctor was kneeling beside her. He reached out a hand to rub her back and she flinched, wincing against the pain.

Wilf pulled out his wand, casting a simple diagnostic spell. He winced. "Two broken ribs and a bruised spine—we'd better get her up to Poppy." Koschei grumbled something from where he was lying on the ground, and Wilf gave him a swift kick to the arse. "Quiet, you."

The Doctor glared back at him and gestured with Rose's wand, dragging him behind them as they made their way up to the castle. If he happened to trail through the remains of Rose's breakfast, screaming through his gag, neither Rose nor Wilf said anything.

The front door creaked open, and McGonagall hurried around the corner. "Celeste, what ha…" She stopped and stared, taking in the Doctor with his arm around Rose's shoulders and Wilf, dragging the bound and gagged form of Koschei Rosier. She pursed her lips. "I should've known. The others?"

Wilf straightened, pulling his heels together. "Still fighting, as far as we know."

She nodded grimly and looked them over carefully before nodding to herself. "Mr. Mott, get Miss Tyler to the Hospital Wing. Your father and I will take care of Mr. Rosier."

The Doctor shifted his arm to support her weight more fully as they trudged up to the Hospital Wing. "You know, if you weren't this hurt you'd probably be getting an earful right now. What in Merlin's name possessed you to come after me?" She gave him an incredulous look, but it was weakened by the pale, feverish cast of her skin. He ignored her and continued. "And _then_ you insisted on taking on one of the most dangerous beings alive."

Rose's stomach roiled at the memory of that scorched corpse. "But we didn't even know who he was."

The Doctor blinked and stared down at her. "_You_ didn't know who he was. I've seen his picture since I was a kid, though—Dad always kept an eye out for him, but he was never able to catch him." The oddest expression was starting to creep over his face, something satisfied and amused all at once. "Rose, you just killed Fenrir Greyback."

Her knees gave out, and she sat heavily on the stairs. "That was Fenrir Greyback?"

"In the char-broiled flesh."

She swallowed heavily. "Don't." After a moment she raised her head and stared up into his face. "I just killed _Fenrir Greyback?_"

He was outright grinning now, his eyes bright with mischief. "I daresay there's a bit of a reward coming your way. Maybe a parade or two. Ooh, and epic poems are always good."

"What'll it say, that I was scared out of my mind and just threw out the first spell I could think of?"

He shrugged and sat next to her. "It worked, didn't it?" A shiver ran down his back. "I have to say, I am rather glad you didn't get bitten. You'd've made for a rubbish werewolf." She began to laugh, but stopped and gasped at the pain. He made a face and stood, pulling her carefully to her feet. "Come on, you. Back to the Hospital Wing."

Rose grimaced as they climbed the stairs. "Blimey, but I'm getting' tired of that place."

"Well, maybe you should try being a bit less jeopardy-friendly, hmm?"

She gave him a dry look. "You've been saving that one for a while, haven't you?"

The Doctor sniffed haughtily. "Well, if the shoe fits…" He paused and wrinkled his nose. "Bit of an odd saying, that. It never mentions what type of shoe. I mean, what if it's a sparkly pump, or something? It might fit, but I'd certainly never wear it."

Rose snickered, and winced as the pain jolted her sides. "I dunno—with your legs, I bet you could carry 'em off."

He stared down at her, and sped up their steps. "Right, the sooner we get you to the Hospital Wing, the better."

ΘΣ

Rose would later swear on the Doctor's hair (and it was some _really_ great hair) that Poppy Pomfrey bit off a particularly vicious expletive when they came through the doorway. She bustled over, the grey hair pulled back without a strand out of place and the stiffly starched apron only magnifying her disapproval. "Well, Miss Tyler, what have you gotten yourself into, now?" She shook her head in annoyance. "I swear, you're worse than Potter."

She gulped. "Well, there was this kind of… rescue attempt?"

Madam Pomfrey narrowed her eyes. "I distinctly remember telling you to take it easy for the next few days, Miss Tyler."

Rose clenched her jaw. "Yeah, well he wasn't about to go rescue himself."

"Oi!"

"Well, you weren't! Until your dad an' I got there, you were unconscious an' draped over the guard dog's shoulder."

"I could've managed!" She gave him a deeply skeptical look, and he flushed. "I could've!"

Madam Pomfrey sighed. "We're all sure you could, Mr. Mott, but now I'd rather heal Miss Tyler than listen to the two of you squabble. If you can be quiet, then be quiet. If you can't,_ leave._"

They both flushed, and Rose caught the Doctor's hand and gripped it tight. He squeezed right back and gave her a tender smile. "I'm not going anywhere."

Madam Pomfrey nodded and began to pull out a selection of potions. "Good. Then let me do my work."

ΘΣ

Rose's eyes blinked open to stare at the familiar misshapen tiles on the Hospital Wing's ceiling.

"Hello."

She turned her head and saw the Doctor sitting next to her, his hair a wreck and his hand wrapped firmly around her own. She smiled at him. "Hello."

"Time's a funny thing, you know. If there's a deadline coming up, it seems to rush forward, but when you're waiting for something, it's achingly slow."

She bit her lip. "How long was I out?"

He looked away, jiggling his leg. "Too long. Madam Pomfrey put you under until you were actually healed, so it's been a while." His lips twisted wryly. "Be glad you missed Donna's wrath—she found out where Wilf and I were hiding from her, and let us have it. Dunno if I've ever seen her that angry before."

"She has every right to be." They both turned to look at the doorway, where Severus Snape stood with his arms crossed. He lifted an eyebrow as he looked at Rose. "What you did was amateurish and foolish, and if it weren't for your absurdly good luck, you'd probably be dead right now." The Doctor opened his mouth to protest, and he raised a pale hand to forestall him. "And yet, I can't argue with the results. You've both achieved things that wizards and witches far beyond you in talent and experience haven't. There might be hope for you yet."

The Doctor blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I was assigned your case, Mr. Mott, not only to protect you, but also to observe you. The department head had heard of some of your exploits, and she was… interested. She'll no doubt be quite pleased to hear that I found not one, but two potential candidates."

Rose struggled to sit up, and the Doctor wrapped an arm around her waist to support her. "Candidates for what?"

He stepped forward and handed them both a small, blank white card. "Bring those to the Department of Mysteries after you graduate." He bowed shortly to them. "Until we meet again."

The Doctor choked a little, and Rose's jaw dropped. She waved faintly, but he'd already left. She turned to the Doctor, her eyes wide. He looked utterly gobsmacked, and she began to giggle. He met her eyes and blinked before joining in, and they laughed until the astonishment and exhilaration were gone.

He bent his forehead to hers, his slight laughter still puffing against her lips. Rose closed her eyes and smiled, tilting her head to press her lips to his. He pressed back carefully, calculating the angles to deepen the kiss. Rose could feel her toes curling against the rough, utilitarian sheets, and she reached up a hand to plunge her fingers into his thick, soft hair. The Doctor groaned as her fingernails brushed against his scalp, and suddenly the soft, slow pace wasn't enough anymore. His hands found her waist as he angled her back against the bed, his long, bony chest pressed against hers.

"AHEM."

They jumped apart, both panting wildly and more than a little flushed. The Doctor attempted to step away, but he looked down with a squeak and sat himself down again immediately. Donna stood in the doorway, her foot tapping and an expression of exasperated amusement on her face. Hermione stood behind her, biting her lip against laughter, and Ginny was giggling madly as she stood next to Harry. Martha was had her eyebrows raised, but she seemed just as amused as the others.

Donna rolled her eyes. "Blimey, give the girl a chance to recuperate before shovin' your tongue down her throat, won't you?" She shuddered theatrically.

The Doctor blanched. "I wasn't—"

Rose began, "We were—"

They stopped and looked at each other, both flushing bright red. Donna smirked. "Look, they even coordinate their blushes."

"Donna!" They'd protested in unison, and now Hermione and Martha couldn't hold back their laughter, either.

The Doctor sniffed. "I don't think you're giving the Hospital Wing the respect it deserves."

Donna raised an eyebrow. "What, an' you are, by snoggin' her breathless?"

"That was a celebration of her recovery, clearly."

She rolled her eyes. "Clearly."

Harry stepped forward. "Good job with Greyback, Miss Tyler."

Rose blushed and smiled. "Thanks. An' call me Rose, please."

"Will do." He nodded at the Doctor. "John."

Martha sat down in one of the visitors' chairs, leaning forward. "So, you really did kill Fenrir Greyback?"

Rose looked down, and the Doctor spoke up. "That she did. It's a good thing she warned me, or else I'd have ended up just as toasty."

Rose blanched. "Don't joke about that."

Ginny leaned forward and took her hand. "You did a good thing, Rose. That bastard mauled my brother Bill, just months before his wedding."

Rose smiled at them awkwardly, leaning back into the Doctor. He rubbed his hand up and down her side and spoke to Harry, drawing their attention. "So, how did things turn out at the manor?"

He looked down. "There were some casualties. Ross Jenkins and Teresa Albright." He cleared his throat. "But they died taking out one of the largest Death Eater collectives we're encountered since the end of the war. Both Lestrange brothers are dead now, along with Greyback, and the others are in custody. In _full_ custody. None of that Ministry lock-up nonsense."

Ginny smirked. "Gee, Harry, tell us how you really feel." He shot her an affectionate glance and ignored her.

Hermione spoke up, frowning. "What I don't understand is, why were they so desperate to get your amulet, Doctor?"

The Doctor opened his mouth, confused, and Wilf spoke from the doorway. "Well, wizards are a superstitious lot. What's worse is most of it is for a reason." He smiled down at Rose. "Feeling better, love?"

She grinned up at him. "Much, thanks."

"Sorry to break up the little reunion, but Poppy insists that the patient needs some quiet."

Donna's eyebrows drew together, but the rest of them said their goodbyes and left. She waited at the end of Rose's bed, her foot tapping.

"What's this about, Granddad?"

"Had somethin' I needed to talk to them about without the rest of you around."

She reeled back, looking almost as if he'd physically hurt her. "Fine, I see how it is."

Wilf blinked at her. "Well, I didn't mean _you._"

"Could've fooled me!"

The Doctor cleared his throat. "So, what was it you wanted to talk to us about, Dad?"

Wilf let out a breath and drew his eyebrows together, glancing sideways at Donna. "Snape's done some repair work on this whole mess. Your secret's safe again—he planted the story that you'd found Tom Riddle's amulet while you explored Hogwarts, and they thought they could use the trinket to bring him back. The only people who know who your birth parents were are in this room. Well, and Sarah, but she's practically family anyway."

Rose frowned. "Why didn't he tell us earlier?"

Wilf frowned. "Sorry?"

"Snape, he came to talk to us earlier. Might've been useful if he'd mentioned that, so we wouldn't accidentally blow his story."

The Doctor shrugged against her. "Maybe it was a test."

She sighed and leaned back against him. "Are all Slytherins like that? 'Cause I swear, that's downright _mental_."

He grinned against her hair. "You might as well get used to it."

Rose groaned and closed her eyes.

ΘΣ

She stepped out of her dorm the next day, shrugging on a comfortable hoodie over her vest top. The Doctor had told her he'd meet her outside Gryffindor Tower, and she didn't want to keep him waiting long. The room had been loud with the murmur of students _not_ working on homework, but a hush fell as she walked down the stairwell. Patrick and Rajesh were sitting with Rebecca and Genevieve, and as she walked past Rajesh hurriedly stood up. "Rose."

She blinked. It was the first time any of them had addressed her by her first name. He looked nervous, somewhere between embarrassed and awestruck. "Yes?"

He glanced back at his friends and turned back to her, clearing his throat. "Is it true that you took out Fenrir Greyback on your own?"

"No." Noise exploded back into life around her, and she raised her voice. "The Doctor helped me."

She smirked at the sudden silence and stepped outside. The Doctor was leaning against the wall across from the door, hands in his pockets. He straightened as she stepped out, and she bumped his shoulder with hers. "So, where are we goin' today, Doctor?"

He grinned and spread out his hands in an exuberant shrug. "Anywhere you like, Rose Tyler."

She smiled and took his hand.

ΘΣ

FINIS

ΘΣ

**A/N: And it's the end of the longest story I've yet written, and my very first AU! Well, you know what I mean. Thanks SO much to everyone who favorited and commented- I love you guys. You make writing so much fun. There are a few other stories in the pipelines, so new things might be up before long- I'm partway into several stories, and can't seem to make up my mind. Would you rather I worked on:**

**1: a sequel to The Stolen Plot,**

**B: a continuation of Phoenix and the Wolf/Tangled Web,**

**or sub-paragraph III: a sequel to Nature of the Wolf?**

**Thanks for reading!**


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